xiv ARBOR DAY 



of trees. One directs the corporate authorities of 

 cities and towns to cause shade trees to be planted 

 along the streets, and empowers the authorities 

 to make additional assessments for taxation upon 

 lands benefited by such planting. Another section 

 of the law provides for the planting of trees 

 not more than twenty feet apart upon each side 

 of one-fourth of the streets in every city and 

 village of Nebraska. Most persons acquainted 

 with the needs of really valuable shade trees 

 realize that such trees should be planted a good 

 deal farther apart than the distance thus indi- 

 cated by law. 



"One result of all this legislation, and of the pre- 

 miums offered each year by the State Board of 

 Agriculture, has been the astonishing prosperity 

 of nurserymen in Nebraska. In the first sixteen 

 years after Arbor Day was instituted there were 

 more than three hundred and fifty million trees and 

 vines planted in Nebraska, and the observance of 

 the day is still kept up with interest. 



"In 1876 Michigan and Minnesota followed suit, 

 and like action was soon taken in other states. In 

 1887 the Education Department of Ontario ordered 

 that the first Friday in May should be set apart by 

 the trustees of every rural school and incorporated 

 village for planting shade trees and making flower- 

 beds in the school grounds. 



"New York did not fall in line until 1888, 



