meeting- of the State Board of Agriculture, Mr. J. Sterling Morton, 
afterward United States Secretary of Agriculture, introduced a 
resolution setting apart a day for general tree planting throughout 
the state. The resolution was adopted and prizes offered for 
those who planted the greatest number of trees. “ Wide publicity 
was given to the plan and over a million trees were planted in 
Nebraska on that first Arbor Day. In 1874, Governor Furnas, of 
Nebraska, by public proclamation, set aside the third day of April 
as Arbor Day, and in 1885 the State Legislature passed an act 
designating the birthday of Mr. Morton, April 22, as the date of 
Arbor Day and making it a legal holiday.” 
Since the first Arbor Day in Nebraska nearly a billion trees 
have been planted in that state, covering over 700,000 acres, so 
that in contrast to its original bare, treeless condition, it is now 
known as the Tree Planters’ State, this name having received the 
sanction of the legislature by an act passed April 4, 1895. 
The State of Kansas, where the natural conditions were 
similar, followed Nebraska in 1875, with Tennessee in the same 
year. Minnesota, whose lands were being rapidly devastated of 
their valuable white pine forests, came next in 1876. 
Thus far Arbor Day has signified a tree planting bee and 
nothing else, but in 1882, at Cincinnati, Ohio, two new elements 
were introduced, one educational, and the other ceremonial, both 
of which transformed its functions into a more dignified festival, 
and were largely responsible for its rapidly increasing observance 
throughout the country in the eighties. Up to this time the tree 
planting had been carried on under the auspices and fostering 
efforts of town authorities and agricultural associations. Now 
the propaganda was carried to the schools, and on this first Arbor 
Day of Cincinnati, ‘‘about 20,000 children participated in the 
singing and reciting” and in planting the trees. Tree planting 
now became a festival combining utility, instruction, and patriot- 
ism, as well as pleasure; and “one of the greatest benefits of the 
observance of Arbor Day has been its effect in impressing upon 
the minds of the young people the value of trees and the necessity 
of conserving all the natural resources of the country.” 
What is the history of the day in New York State? In 1888, 
too late for its observance in that year, the law was passed desig- 
nating the Friday following the first day of May as Arbor Day.* 
This law was approved by the governor, April 30, 1884, and reads 
in part as follows : 
‘‘An Act to Encourage Arboriculture” Chap. 166. 
The people of the State of New York, represented in Senate 
and Assembly, do enact as follows : 
Section 1. The Friday following the first day of May in each 
year shall hereafter be known throughout this State as Arbor Day. 
2. It shall be the duty of the authorities of every public school 
in this State to assemble the scholars in their charge on that day 
in the school building, or elsewhere as they may deem proper, and 
* This year, for various reasons. April 21 has been appointed as the date of 
Arbor Day in New York City, by the Superintendent of Schools, and approved 
by the State Commissioner of Education. 
