ARBOR DAY. 71 



BY ROMMEL & SOBBE, MOBBISON, Mo. 

 EAST CENTRAL. Your object is a very good one, which 

 we should be very happy to see shortly introduced. Our 

 suggestion would be, that every teacher be instructed to 

 take his class and drill them, and with the idea once given 

 to the youth, it would soon be a permanent fixture. Soft 

 maple, box elder, or catalpa would be the most desirable 

 here, being hardy and of quick growth. 



ARBOR DAY IN MISSOURI. 

 BY L. R. TAFT, MISSOUBI AGE. COLLEGE, COLUMBIA, Mo. 



The original purpose of Arbor Day was to encourage 

 the planting of trees valuable for fuel and timber, on the 

 bare plains of Nebraska and Kansas, hoping also that 

 they would ameliorate the climate. As now understood, 

 it is a day set apart by state legislatures for planting trees 

 and shrubs in the public squares, streets, and especially in 

 the school yards in the cities and towns, and throughout 

 the country. The prime movers in the good work in 

 Missouri, as well as in other states, were the members of 

 the state and county horticultural societies. During the 

 past two years they have been very active in this state, 

 and through their exertions, several normal schools and 

 many public schools have changed the cheerless aspect 

 of their yards by laying out pleasant walks and plant- 



