34 ARBOR DAY. 



to elm, sugar maple, and catalpa. Some of my corres- 

 pondents object to planting by the side of country roads, 

 on the ground that the shade will prevent the rapid drying 

 up of mud after rains ; but in these days of tiled and 

 machine-made road-beds, this objection is not worthy of 

 consideration. We would urge upon every land owner the 

 duty of planting, as a means of enhancing the value of 

 his property, as well as adding to the beauty of the coun- 

 try. The mistake is often made of planting too close ; 

 sixty feet is the minimum distance which these large 

 growing trees should be set, and possibly eighty or one 

 hundred would be better still. 



Next our PUBLIC SCHOOL GROUNDS demand attention, 

 and what shall we say of them ? Almost universally too 

 small, without a tree or shrub to interrupt the fierce rays 

 of the summer sun, with gates off the hinges, and the 

 fence standing at an angle of forty-five degrees, covered 

 with rubbish and overgrown with weeds, and the house a 

 fit companion piece for the grounds this is a picture of a 

 great majority of them. They are a shame and reproach 

 to the directors and patrons of the schools, and a disgrace 

 to the noble state and the civilization of which we boast. 

 This is an unfortunate state of things, but the case is by 

 no means hopeless. Let the directors, and as many pa- 

 trons as can be interested, devote a portion of Arbor Day 

 to cleaning up the school yard and planting trees, and 



