ARBOR DAY. 119 



many of the older states, but has even reached into foreign 

 lands. 



The planting of trees exerts a most wholesome influ- 

 ence, and will in the future confer incalculable blessings 

 upon our race. I gladly join in this public tribute of 

 regard to Mr. Morton. His name will ever be associ- 

 ated with Arbor Day. 



Very truly yours, 



JOHN M. THAYER. 



FROM GOVERNOR MARTIN, OF KANSAS. 



TOPEKA, KANSAS, April 5th. 



MR. H. L. WOOD : DEAR SIR * * * I believe it 

 is generally conceded that the Hon. J. Sterling Morton, 

 of your state, was the original suggester or inventor of 

 Arbor Day, and I think it is equally true that the sugges- 

 tions made by him received a prompt and hearty second 

 in this state. 



The designation of one day to be devoted to tree plant- 

 ing has, I believe, been attended with the best results in 

 all the prairie states. It has certainly called the attention 

 of the people generally to the benefits that followed the 

 planting of trees, and thus popularized the work. I have 

 no doubt that hundreds of thousands of trees, planted in 

 Kansas during the past eight or ten years, would never 



