| + ae FORESTRY OF THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. 
SUCCESS OF THE MENNONITES. 
Under our homestead system, in fact under the general system by 
which the West has been settled, there have been exhibited few of the 
benefits of co-operation. Each settler is independent. He is supreme 
on his own quarter-section, giving and receiving little help from others. 
Were this different, did the settlers of a given district join with each 
other in developing the country, did they combine, for instance, in the 
great work of rendering the land beautiful and profitable with trees, 
much could be done. How much is shown by the example of the Men- 
nonites in Kansas! These people, bound together by a community of 
race and religion, and the fact that they were all alike “ pilgrims and 
strangers” in this country, emigrated from Russia in large bodies in 
1876 and 1877, and settled for the most part in the counties of Harvey, 
McPherson, Marion, Butler,and Reno. They bought land in severalty, 
yet in contiguous tracts, and have, without being allied in any social- 
istic bond, aided each other in their labors. Settling in an open prairie 
country they have transformed it. Being intelligent tree-planters they 
have surrounded their dwellings with fruit and forest trees, so that ata 
little distance a Mennonite settlement looks like a grove. They early 
introduced the culture of the Russian mulberry, which, under their sys- 
tem of careful cutting, furnishes in three years from the start abundant 
fuel, beside fruit, and the leaves for feeding the silk-worms. The same 
care and skill everywhere displayed would transform the great plains 
and change the climate of the western half of the United States. 
ARBOR DAY. 
An instance of the value of united action, even though for a brier 
period, is seen in the institution of ‘* Arbor Day.” The credit of desig- 
nating a certain day in the year when men, women, and children shall 
join in planting trees is due first to the State of Nebraska. It was later 
taken up by the State Forestry Association of Minnesota, and on the first 
Arbor Day in that State, in 1876, 1,500,000 trees were planted. Pre- 
miums were offered by the State Forestry Association and by individ- 
uals until every farmer in Minnesota seems to be a forester. In lowa 
- Arbor Day has become a fixed institution. In Kansas the day was first 
observed by the citizens of Topeka, who turned out under a proclama- 
tion from the mayor and filled the capitol grounds with trees, which 
remain to this day. The governors of Kansas have since issued their 
proclamations for the observance of Arbor Day, which has been observed, 
however, principally by the schoo] children who have by their efforts 
greatly beautified many school grounds in the State. 
ACTION OF RAILROAD COMPANIES. 
We have spoken heretofore of the work of individuals. The work of 
forestry has been carried on to some extent by railroad companies, but 
