ARBOR DA Y MANUAL. 
329 
HOW ARBOR DAY IS OBSERVED IN VARIOUS STATES, 
HE information centained in the following pages was largely obtained from 
1 responses to a recent request made to State Superintendents, and from 
their annual reports: 
ALABAMA.—February 22 is Arbor Day in this State. It is not established 
by law, but has been observed since 1886. The Superintendent of Public In¬ 
struction issued a stirring circular, January 18, 1887, recommending that every 
school plant at least one memorial tree—to be named and cared for by the 
school. The Superintendent writes that several thousand trees have been 
planted, but that the day “ is not as generally observed as it should be.” 
ARKANSAS.— No response from State Superintendent; no data found in 
annual reports. 
CALIFORNIA.— The day is not yet observed. Superintendent of Public 
Instruction, Ira G. Hoitt, writes, Nov. 27, 1889 : “ I recommended that an Arbor 
Day be legally established by the last Legislature, but we had so much other 
legislation to accomplish on educational subjects, that we had no time to press 
the matter. It will yet be done.” 
COLORADO.—Arbor Day has been observed pursuant to a special procla¬ 
mation of the Governor for the past six years, and about 300,000 trees have 
been planted. In 1889, a law was passed designating the third Friday in April 
in each year. The day is a holiday in the public schools of the State. The Gov¬ 
ernor is to issue a proclamation, and the State Superintendent and county su¬ 
perintendents are instructed to promote by all proper means the observance of 
the day, and reports are to be made to the State Forest Commissioner 
CONNECTICUT.—The law of 1886 provides that the Governor shall annually, 
in the spring, designate, by proclamation, an Arbor Days to be observed in the 
schools, and for economic tree-planting. Usually a day late in April or early in 
May is designated. In 1887 and 1888, the Secretary of the State Board of Edu¬ 
cation issued elaborate suggestions, with selections for program. Since that 
date it has been left to the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture. 
DELAWARE. —No response from State Superintendent; no data found in 
annual reports. 
FLORIDA.— Arbor Day is fixed by proclamation of the Governor, usually 
in February (in 1889 on Feb. 14), and the Superintendent of Public Instruction 
issues a circular to county superintendents, who in turn communicate with the: 
teachers. The Superintendent writes that thousands of children, as well as 
great numbers of patrons and people participate in the exercises. (See program 
for 1890, under Specimen Programs.) 
ILLINOIS. — The law of 1887 provides that the Governor shall annually, in 
the spring, designate by proclamation a day to be known as “Arbor Day.” 
The State Superintendent also issues a circular and suggests a program. (See 
