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VOL. XXVII.
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INDIANAPOLIS, IND., MARCH 5, 1892.
NO. 10
Necessity of Arbor Day Observance.--''
: Bead before the Bush County Teach»rs' Institnte
by Oeo. S. Jones. Principal ol Manilla Graded
Schools. Aug. 8,1892.
Mr. Eggleston, in Arbor Day Leaves,
says: "Arbor Day originated on the bleak,
treeless prairies of Nebraska, over -which
tbe cold winds from the north and the
withering blasts from the heated plains of
the south swept with unimpeded force.
The early settlers of that region felt the
need at once of some shelter from these
winds, not only for themselves, but for
their cattle and their crops. To plant trees
was the only available resource. Bat what
an almost hopeless undertaking was it for
the ecattered people to plant on snch a
vast space asone ofour Western S-ates,
enough trees to make an effective barrier
against the winds.
In this emergency, the happy thought
occurred to one of the sett1ers,that if a particular day were sgreed upon for tree
planting, many would be prompted to en-
gags in the work who otherwise would
fail to do, so while the labor would be lightened and made -leasant to each one by
the knowledge that so many others were
working with him lor the same ol_9ct, an
old proverb having it that 'many hands
make light work.' The suggestion was
well received; a day was named by the
State B .ard of Agriculture, and the people
entered upon the work with such en thus
iasm that more than a million trees weie
* pla___a oil -lhe* day-assigned; -Year-by
year since then on Arbor Day has been
observed so well that ex-Governor Morton,
who originated this tree planting festival,
assures us that there are now in Nebraska
more than 700,000 acres of trees which
have been planted by human hands.
Tbis successful establishment of the day
in Nebraska commended it at one. to the
people of other States, and it was soon
adopted by Kansas, Iowa and Minnesota,
and was not long in making its way into
Michigan and Ohio.
In the latter State it took on a new character which has rapidly spread throughout the country. The teachers and pupils
of schools were invited to unite in its observance, and instead of trees being
planted merely as screens from the winds,
they were also planted for ornamental
purpose** and as memorials for important
historical events, and of celebrated persons, authors, statesmen and others; and
thus the tree planting has gained a literary
aspect and an interest for all classes, for
yonng as weU as old. In preparation for
H the pupils of the schools have been led
to the study of the trees, their characteristics and uses. They have learned the his-
*° _*■ of celebrated trees and of persons
who have been connected with them.
They have become familiar with the lives
oj eminent persons and the best writings
°' distinguished authors, and have thus
received most valuable instruction, while
«the same time their finer tastes have
been cultivated.
Since the observance of the day has been
modified as it was on ita introduction into
0111 . it has spread rapidly throuhgh the
country, 37 States having adopted it. Its
every way healthful and desirable features
nave so generally commended lt also, that
J""* gained a foothold abroad, and has
begun to be observed in England, Sjot-
aj>d, Prance and  even ln  far off South
nca. it has become pre-eminently a
■caool day festival. In many cases school
"pcheis and superintendents have intro-
ncedits observance; but it has so soon
«>n-mended itself to all, that in most cases
' nas been established by law and made a
l6-al holiday.
Turning to our own proud State of In-
ttntJ ,tmay "welJ.be said that no land
vainv, 8Xm haB been'more blessed with
»vT prime™l forests; yet her smooth
de«i_.\?nd ,erUle 8o11 "" ■» inv-ted the
fraction other beautiful garment of
**•"*» 'or agricultural purposes that itis
fast becoming necessary to take the initiatory steps towards systematic protection
of her forest trees where they still remain,
and to replace in some measure at' least,
the forests on the wide stretches of land
made bare by the reckless woodsman.
The young forest which the present generation should plant may be made to consist of almost any or every variety of trees
peculiar to a temperate climat9. Many
varieties of fruit, flowering and ornamental trees, shrubs and vines would now
grow and flourish ln our State which have
never yet been introduced. Many varieties found only in the mountain slopes
did not originally take foot hold among
our primeval forest because of so much
water heretofore 'on the surface of the
land, they being peculiarly suited to dry
soil, and others whose seeds or fruits did
not invite the wild pigeons, the then common carrier to bring them so far over our
broad plains. Among these may he mentioned the wild May cherry, which
dresses itself in a snowy white robe on
May Day, adorns itself in a scarlet coat of
delicious fruit in June and then puts on a
beautiful dress of green satin which it
wears during the rest of the summer; the
chestnut, a rapidly growing tree, so valuable for its timber, growing to a size and
hight equal to that of onr largest forest
trees, adorning its boughs with a robe of
cream colored catkins in spring, which it
exchanges, for one of dark green foliage,
ornamented throughout with beautiful
clusters of light green burs, inclosing its
tender fruit in summer, which it sheds
with its ripened fruit to the exquisite delight of the merry children in autumn;
the mountain laurel and ivy, evergreen
shrubs whose bewitching flowers cover
them all over with glory in June and
July; the mountain honey suckle, a shrub
that in early spring takes on crowns cf
golden yellow, contrasted with stripes of
brilliant red, which it exchanges for a
snowy colored fruit of honey-like sweetness from which its name ls derived; and
many other pleasing varieties too numer-
mous to mention here.
All these useful, beautiful and ornamental trees and scrubs would now grow in
any part of Indiana since her soil has been
so well drained. These in common with
other varieties of forest trees are nature's
most instructive school masters, inspiring
men with the noblest thoughts of Deity.
They' have inspired Bryant and many
others to become the greatest poets in
America, if not the world. Bryants' poems
entitled "Daath of fl *>wers," Forest hymn,"
"The planting of the apple tree" and
others are evidences ot the inspiring influences of flowers and trees. The greater
number of ' our American poets were
reared among the enchanting flora ofthe
mountainous regions, which greatly aided
in the development of their finer thoughts
and natures. Cinclnnatus Heine Miller
was born in the monotonous plains of Indiana, but moved to Oregon when a
small boy, and later to California, and his
poems throughout partake of the wild
freedom and passion peculiar to the life
and scenery from which he drew his inspiration among the Sierras and the min^
ers.
If it is true that children are Influenced
by their surroundings to such an extent
that their very natures are developed into
a fashon like unto their surroundings,
then it is apparent that they should be
reared amidst such surroundings aa will
develop their finest and most Ood like
natures. The home sl ould be made not
only comfortable, but beautiful, pleasant
and enticing. Shade and ornamental trees
should be set around the premises in profusion; the streets and road sides, the barn
yards and the fences around the fields
and pastures and along the road side
should have an abundance of
shade   trees,     so   that the    boy    on
the farm or in the village will find it
pleasant for him wherever his labor may
call him, and so that, unlike the boy who
is ever longing to leave home because of
its uncomfortable and uninviting surroundings, our sons can sing "with the
spirit and understanding," "There is no
place like home."
There are many other reasons that might
be assigned why our people should give
more attention to the planting of trees and
shrubs, but my limited time will not permit their enumeration here. I hope I
have said enough to induce all to feel as I
do that a more systematic observance of
an annual Arbor Day throughout our State
is already a necessity; but to make it effective for very much real good to be done,
there must be a general concert of action.
This can only be brought about by an act
of the .Legislature making Arbor Day a
legal holiday, as other States have done,or
by an order of the State Board of Education, promulgated by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, making it a
school holiday for all the schools of the
State, with all other school officers co-operating. The faithful observance of Arbor
Day for 10 years in this manner would
make the State of Indiana the most lovely
spot on the globe.
In conclusion, I beg leave to express the
sentiment uttered by Governor Currier in
his Arbor Day proclamation in New
Hampshire, in which he says:
"I especially desire that our children
may be taught to observe and reverence
the divine energies which are unfolding
themselves in every leaf and flower that
Eheds a perfume in spring, or ripens into a
tobe of beauty in autumn, so that the
aspiration of childhood, led by beautiful
surroundings, may form higher and
broader conceptions of life and humanity;
for the teachings of nature lead up from
the material and the finite to the infinite
and eternal."
. A kindred sentiment was also expressed
by tbe Honorable A. S. Draper, Superintendent of Public Instruction, of New
York, when he said:
"The primary purposes of the Legislature in establishing Arbor Day was to de
velop and stimulate in the children of
the common wealth a love and reverence
for nature, as revealed in trees and shrubs
and flowers.
t Washington Letter.
From onr Regular Correspondent.
The World's Pair has fairly divided
honors with the political situation and the
prospects of the free coinage till, as conversational suojects; since the return of
the Congressional visiters to Chicago, that
city never did a shrewder thing than to
plan that excursion, which has already
done more to open the eyes of Senators
and Representatives to the magnitude and
importance of the undertaking than could
have been accomplished in many months
by any other method. As a specimen of
Us effect hear what Senator Pefler says:
"The work was on a grander scale than I
expected it to be and the arrangements
much more elaborate. More work had
been done than I looked for. The plan
and its general arrangement, the scope of
the exposition has grown upon the mana-
agement. To put it plainly it is bigger
than they expected. To carry it out as it
should be carried out will require a greit
deal of money; more than has been arranged for, and additional funds will have
to be provided. The country generally is
just beginning to realize the greatness of
the enterprise and it seems to me that all
thinking people must be enlisted to make
the aflair a success. The fair must neither
be defeated nor dwarfed." v
Sanator Stewart,'speaking on the joint
resolution for the holding of an international bi-metalic conference, said that the
party of gold and sliver conld not be
maintained in that way, nor in any other
way, except by treating them both precisely alike as money metals. He gave notice,
that he would propose an amendment to
to that effect before the resolution was
voted on.
Senator Sherman's resolution, which
was adopted by the Senate, calling upon
the President for the particulars of the recent conference with the Canadian Commissioners concerning reciprocity, has
started lots of gossips, and everybody
wants to know why, if there was nothing
in the conference, as was unofficially given
out at the time, the Senator oflered his resolution.
Congress has not recovered from the effects of its excursion to Chicago, consequently it has been unusually dull for
several days past.
f&znzxvCl Mcxoa.
Two hundred thousand dollars' worth of
mortgages and notes have.been lost in the
mails between Minneapolis and Superior.
Four hundred men participated in a
"rabbit drive" near Trader, Cal., on Saturday. Four thousand rabbits were
killed.
Albert M. Howard, of Schenectady, N.
Y., was blown from a train near Braid-
wood, 111., while passing between cars,
and killed.
J. H. Johnson, of Blakely, Minn., ad-
vis9s farmers to build their own flour-
mills. They can then get $1 a bushel for
their own wheat, says Mr. Johnson.
Mexico is about to lay claim to a slice
ofl the southern section of the United
States, in return perhaps for that piece of
territory which we took half a century ago.
The last annual meelingsof the National
Grange, and a number of the State
Granges from which reports have come,
prove the healthy and prosperous condition of this oldest and best farmers' organization.
Sunday was a day of costly blazes
throughout the land. Brooklyn had a
$500,000 fire, with three firemen severely
injured; New York's fire amounted to
$200,000 loss; Detroit $50,000; Wheeling,
W. Va., $16,000, and Burlington, la., $12,-
000.
The United States and Brazil steamship
Advance, which arrived in New York, is
detained at quarantine. She left Santos
on January 22, and Rio Janeiro on January 25. An epidemic of yellow fever broke
out on her, and 10 of the seamen were
stricken. Oae of them died. The vessel
was fumigated.
Within tbe next two weeks about 25
families, mostly farmers, and 30 car loads
of emigrant's outfits will leave "Virginia to
seek fortune in the "States of Iowa, Ne-,
braska and K.nsas. Several cf .these emigrants came to Cass county, 111., 20 and 30
years ago, bought land at $30 and $40 per
acre, and now |have sold their farms here
at $80 and $90 per acre.
C-Jucrg kvlA QusvoicxSm
Give yonr name and address when asklnjr qnes-
lons. Many queries to unanswered Ior (allure to
observe this role. -
Correspondents who desire an Immediate reply to
« lelr queries shonld enclose stamp tor the purpose.
Early Ohio Potatoes Wanted—I
want to know who has raised the early
Ohio potatoes, and who bas them for sale.
I want to know if they are a good crop to
raise for the early market. Please make
the enquiry through your paper. Three
years ago I planted a walnut grove. Is it
best to cut them down this spring so they
will throw up strong Bprouts; will they
make better trees? Who has tried it?
Shelby county. M G. T.
The early Ohio is an excellent potato for
the spring market. Those who have pure
seed of this variety to sell should advertise in our columns. It would not be wise,
to cut down your walnut trees.