27 



ful gardens was transplanted from Persia to Greece, and the 

 greatest Greek Philosophers held their schools in beautiful 

 gardens and groves. The devastation of parks, the destruction 

 of shade trees, the neglect of public streets and private grounds, 

 the decay of rural tastes and the utter slight of home adorn- 

 ments were clearer proofs of the great relapse to barbarism than 

 the vandalism which merely destroyed the proud monuments 

 of classic art and literature. 



In tree planting, the beginning only is difficult. It is the 

 first step that costs at least it costs effort and persuasion to set 

 this thing on foot but that step once taken, others are sure to 

 follow. On this account, I have tried various devices to get 

 our vouth initiated in tree-planting. In 1876 an effort was made 

 to promote u Centennial Tree-Planting " by the offer of prizes, 

 which proved successful far beyond my expectation. Many 

 youth in Connecticut whose first experience as little arborists 

 was prompted by those prizes, have become so interested in 

 this pleasant work that they have continued it each subsequent 

 spring. In 1878 the accident of the blowing down of a famous 

 willow led me to offer them several thousand scions. Beau- 

 tiful as that exotic is, I was careful to state that it is not com- 

 parable to many of our majestic natives, saying in a circular 

 then addressed to our boys: "Because the main tug is at the 

 start, on account of the inertia of ignorance and indifference, 

 that start should be made easy. I should greatly prefer to 

 start five thousand elms or maples this year in Connecticut, if 

 it could be done as easily as my five thousand willow scions 

 seem likely to be stuck in the ground. This proposal is made 

 as a mere beginning in tree planting, sure to lead to something 

 more and better." 



These and other plans have manifestly increased the interest 

 of our youth in arboriculture through the State, There is 

 nothing more ennobling than the consciousness of doing 

 something for future generations, something which shall prove 

 a growing benefaction in coming years. Tree-planting is an 

 easy way of perpetuating one's memory long after he has 

 passed away. The poorest can in this way provide himself 

 with a monument grander than the loftiest shaft of chiseled 

 stone, which may suggest duty to the living while it commemo- 



