300 ARBOR DAY MANUAL. 



Written for the "ARBOR DAY MANUAL." 



ARBOR DAY. 



ITS EDUCATING INFLUENCE. 



THE observance of Arbor Day has already led to the planting of myriads of 

 trees in this country. Important as is this result, the educating influence of 

 this work is of still higher value. One of these educating forces begins when 

 children are thus led to plant not only trees, but tree-seeds, acorns, nuts, drupe- 

 stones or pits, and then to observe the wonderful miracles which the tree-life 

 they have started is working out before them. What interest and profit, what 

 growth of mind and heart they will gain, as they watch the mysterious forces 

 of these living germs, their marvelous assimilating power, carrying on a curious 

 chemistry in their underground laboratory, linked with the mysterious appa- 

 ratus of the leaves above, transforming coarse earth and even offensive filth 

 into living forms of surpassing beauty and fragrance. It is something for a 

 child, who has dropped such a germ in the earth, to feel that he has made a 

 lasting contribution to the natural beauty around him, for there is nothing 

 more ennobling than the consciousness of doing something for future genera- 

 tions, which may prove a growing benefaction in coming years a better 

 monument than any in bronze or marble. The trees which children plant 

 around the homestead and watch from seed to shoot, from bud to limb, and 

 from flower to fruit, will be increasingly prized with a sentiment of companion- 

 ship and almost of kinship as they grow into living memorials of happy, 

 youthful days. Thus, the educating influences of Arbor Day will manifest 

 themselves more and more as the j^ears go by, especially to all who apply Dr. 

 Holmes' advice, and "make trees monuments of history and character," or 

 appreciate his saying, " I have written many verses, but the best poems I have 

 produced are the trees I have planted," or the striking words of Sir Walter, 

 "Planting and pruning trees I could work at from morning till night. There 

 is a sort of self-congratulation, a little tickling self-flattery in the idea that 

 while you are pleasing and amusing ) r ourself, you are seriously contributing to 

 the future welfare of the country." 



As a result of Arbor Day, talks on trees and tree-planting are now common 

 in our best schools. Every pupil should be led to observe, recognize and 

 admire our common trees, and thus come to realize that they form the finest 

 drapery that adorns this earth in all lands. Such love of trees will tend to 

 make them practical, arborists. Let the parent as well as teacher, then, 

 encourage every child girl or boy to plant, or help in planting, if too 

 young to work alone, some flower, shrub, vine or tree, to be known by his or 

 her name. Such offspring they will watch with pride, as every month or year 

 new beauties appear, and find a peculiar pleasure in the parentage of trees, 

 whether forest, fruit or ornamental, a pleasure that never cloys, but grows 

 with their growth. Such tree-planting is a grand discipline in foresight. 

 Mental myopia means weakness and folly, while the habit of forecasting con 

 sequences is the condition of wisdom. Many youth will sow only where they 

 can quickly reap. With them a meagre crop soon in hand outweighs a golden 



