248 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
ARBOR DAY. 
l^'ebruary reminds us that Arbor Day must now be 
the timely object of general interest. What benefits 
are already apparent from its observation in t' e past 
must be considered in the light of incentives for the fu- 
ture, and it is plainly discernible that no movement of 
late years over the broad area of the country is fraught 
with more benefit both to the present and future than 
what results from the lessons and practice involved in 
the teachings and practice of Arbor Day exercises. Ex- 
cellent suggestive material will be found in the fol- 
lowing: ^ ^ ^ 
The circular issued in 1899 to the teachers of Illi- 
nois by Alfred BaylisSj superintendent of Public Instruc- 
tion. as a supplement to the Governor’s Arbor Day proc- 
lamation, is so good that we republish it here: 
“I need not dwell upon the educational value of a 
proper observance of this day. The value of pleasant 
school surroundings cannot be over estimated. A school- 
house without a tree or shrub outside, or a flower or pic- 
ture, will not be a source of pleasant memories. In- 
deed, he is a good teacher who succeeds in making such 
a place the source of anything but citizens who are fit 
only for ‘treasons, stratagems and spoils.’ I, therefore, 
second the governor’s appeal to those who are respon- 
sible for schools in that condition. Let us make all such 
things of the past in Illinois. 
‘‘For grounds where there are no trees it is neither 
necessary nor sensible to go to the expense of procuring 
exotics. Plant indigenous trees first, preferably rapid 
growers. But bear in mind that ‘timber trees are the 
children of centuries,’ and for every tree of rapid growth 
plant at the same time a sturdy one to take its place 
when it becomes unsightly and is cleared away. 
“Few people know how to plant a tree. Transplant- 
ing is an artificial process, requiring both knowledge 
and care. If there is a skilled tree planter in the neigh- 
borhood, interest him in Arbor Day, take his advice 
about the better trees to plant first and their location, 
and get him to see that roots and branches are properly 
pruned, that the holes are of proper size and depth, that 
the soil is filled in around the roots as it should be and 
tliat the tree is properly protected. If he will let the 
older pupils assist him in doing the actual work and 
afterward talk to them in a simple way about the care 
of the trees, so much the better. Be sure to give him 
the opportunity. 
“The literary exercises may be varied according to 
circumstances. The thoughtful teacher will know how 
to use the opportunity. Unless profitable exercises can 
be prepared it is not advisable to interrupt the regular 
school programme The programme I offer is merely 
suggestive, anrl c.in easily be abridged or otherwise modi- 
fied. It is always advisable to include an address by 
some local frieml of the school, especially when one is 
avadable who can be trusted to be brief. Where the ex- 
cellent custom of naming the trees in honor of favorite 
authors or distinguished Americans prevails the exer- 
cises may well include brief sketches of their lives or 
(ju (talioiii from their writings. 
“Finally, if the children of this generation are to de- 
serve the blessings of those who come after them, they 
must be taught to plant trees. ‘If the trees go, men 
must decay.’ Above all do not fail to teach them that, 
as Ruskins says: ‘It is better to know the habits of one 
plant than the names of a thousand; and wiser to be 
happily familiar with those that grow in the nearest 
field than arduously cognizant of all that plume the isles 
of the Pacific or illumine the mountains of the moon.’ ” 
* * * 
Plow far reaching is the consideration of Arbor Day 
the following extracts from a communication to the 
Halifax, N. S., Chronicle, serve to show: 
This annual celebration should foster among our 
youths a love for trees on the ground both of ornament 
and utility. The feeling should not cease with the senti- 
ment of school days, but in after life should manifest it- 
self m the adoption of measures for the increase of shade 
trees around our homes, on our streets and our farms, 
and for the preservation of our forests which are threat- 
ened with destruction. * * * ^ traveller from 
the older countries notices that while our towns and 
cities are fairly well supplied with shade trees our rural 
districts in general have been left neglected. Not un- 
frequently a large farm is seen with its buildings un- 
adorned by bush or shrub, and its fields unfurnished 
with a tree large enough for a robin’s nest. 
Arbor Day it is hoped, will induce our boys and girls 
to plant trees about their homes, and to take special 
care of trees already planted by shielding them from the 
ravages of the universal jack-knife, and from injury by 
an unwary reckless Jehu or his hardly less thoughtful 
friends the lower animals. 
Arbor Day ought also to create a public taste which 
would find work in securing legislation for the protec- 
tion of our forests. That lumberers simply slaughter 
our forests, may for example be seen in the small 
size of many of thg logs which supply our saw mills. 
The cutting of trees of but a few inches in diameter, 
provided they yield only a narrow plank should be 
strictly prohibited. But even the woodman’s axe, de- 
structive as it is, sinks into insignificance compared with 
the injury inflicted by fire. Choppings are burned re- 
gardless of danger arising from the extensive spread of 
fire; thoughtless boys and still more thoughtless men who 
go fishing or picknicking, often leave smoking embers 
which the wind may fan into aflame to destroy hundreds 
if not thousands of acres of valuable timber. It is sad 
to notice in our provinces what a vast area of barrens 
has been created in this way. Climate too is affected 
by the destruction of the forest. In a treeless country 
the process of evaporation is rapid and streams dry up. 
'fhe writer well remembers brooks of considerable size, 
the habitat of smelts, trouts and the juvenile owners of 
miniature saw mills. The forest and the brooks have 
long since disappeared from the landscape. This mis- 
chievous habit of unnecessarily starting forests fires and 
the recklessness sometimes displayed in burning chop- 
pings irrespective of the direction of the wind should 
be followed by a heavy fine. Here our legislators have 
an important duly ti) perform. 
