122 TREE PLANTER'S MANUAL. 



April as a day consecrated to tree planting, and offering a special premium 

 for the proper planting of the largest number of trees. It is stated that 

 on that day over a million trees were planted in Nebraska. In 1874 his 

 successor, Gov. Robert W. Furnas, issued the first Arbor Day proclamation 

 which was generally observed, and the next year the legislature of that 

 state made it a legal holiday in Nebraska. 



Minnesota followed the example. Under the leadership of Leonard B. 

 Hodges, then secretary, the State Forestry Association offered premiums 

 for tree planting on our first Arbor Day, May 1, 1876. The responses of 

 the people were wonderful indeed. Over a million trees were planted for 

 prizes alone. 



The application of the grand work to the schools was first named and 

 projected in Minnesota. In August, 1882, the American Forestry Associa- 

 tion (international) held its annual meeting in St. Paul, when Prof. B. G. 

 Northrop, of Connecticut, originator of "Village Improvement Societies" 

 (by tree culture), successfully introduced a resolution favoring the observ- 

 ance of Arbor Day in all the schools of the states and Canada. Minnesota 

 again at the front, Hon. L. Hubbard, in 1885, was the first governor of our 

 state who proclaimed Arbor Day under the school regime, followed in the 

 succeeding administrations by Governors McGill, Merriam and Nelson, 

 cooperated with by Prof. D. L. Keihle, superintendent of public instruc- 

 tion, and equally earnest by his successor, Prof. W. W. Pendergast, and 

 county superintendents and principals of schools generally throughout the 

 state. Since these initial steps Arbor Day is annually observed in nearly 

 all the states and territories, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, 

 South Africa, and will soon be world-wide. 



The sylvan anniversary means more than mere sentiment, or even an 

 understanding of the benefits derived from tree planting. It involves the 

 discipline of foresight. Tree culture and waiting for growth extending 

 through a life-time and thence to other generations till it becomes a factor 

 of patriotic history, gravitates the mind and heart to stability of purpose 

 and establishes character-building on enduring principles. 



EXTENSION OF THE WORK. 



Heretofore the observance of the day has been the planting of trees on 

 the farms and along the streets and highways and streams, and in the cem- 

 eteries and parks and lawns of the homes and schools and churches. All 

 this is most praiseworthy; but why not extend its usefulness in saving 

 young, native trees? The duty in hand is to eradicate the inherited habit 

 of tree destruction without respect to utility. It is no uncommon practice 

 for boys, and men, too, to cut down fine cherries, butternuts and other trees 

 just for the fruit, thoughtless as to future supplies. If anything will tend 

 to eradicate the vandal instinct, it is Arbor Day observed by the woodland 

 schools. Where the native woods have been cleared for towns and farms is 

 room enough for replanting the valuable species, such as the oaks, pines, 

 spruces and maples, about as extensively as on the prairies that are mostly 

 monopolized for cereal crops. Make the saving of trees inseparable from 

 planting trees, and Arbor Day becomes a permanent success constantly 

 growing in public interest. 



