soil! It was with a feeling of awe that we looked up into its face, and when I whispered to myself, "This is mine," there was a shrinking as if there were sacrilege in the very thought of property in such a creature of God as this cathedral-topped tree! Does a man bare his head in some old church? So did I, standing in the shadow of this regal tree, and looking up into that completed glory, at which three hundred years have been at work with noiseless fingers! What was I in its presence but à grasshopper? My heart said “I may not call thee property, and that property mine! Thou belongest to the air. Thou art the child of summer. Thou art the mighty temple where birds praise God. Thou belongest to no man's hand, but to all men's eyes that do love beauty, and that have learned through beauty to behold God! Stand, then, in thine own beauty and grandeur! I shall be a lover and a protector, to keep drought from thy roots, and the axe from thy trunk."

For, remorseless men there are crawling yet upon the face of the earth, smitten blind and inwardly dead, whose only thought of a tree of ages is, that it is food for the axe and the saw! These are the wretches of whom the Scripture speaks: "A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon

the thick trees."

Thus famous, or rather infamous was the last owner but one, before me, of this farm. Upon the crown of the hill, just where an artist would have planted them, had he wished to have them exactly in the right place, grew some two hundred stalwart and ancient maples, beeches, ashes, and oaks, a narrow beltlike forest, forming a screen from the northern and western winds in winter, and a harp of endless music for the summer. The wretched owner of this farm tempted of the Devil, cut down the whole blessed band and brotherhood of trees, that he might fill his pocket with two pitiful dollars a cord for the wood! Well, his pocket was the best part of him. The iron furnaces have devoured my grove, and their huge stumps that stood like gravestones, have been cleared away, that a grove may be planted in the same spot, for the next hundred years to nourish into the stature and glory of that which is gone.

In other places I find the memorials of many noble trees slain; here, a hemlock that carried up its eternal green a hundred feet into the winter air; there, a huge double-trunked chestnut, dear old grandfather of hundreds of children that have for generations clubbed its boughs, or shook its nut-laden top, and laughed and shouted as bushels of chestnuts rattled down. Now, the tree exists only in the form of looped-holed posts and weather-browned rails. I do hope the fellow got a sliver in his fingers every time he touched the hemlock plank, or let down the bars made of those chestnut rails!

To most people a grove is a grove, and all groves are alike. But no two groves are alike. There is as marked a difference between different forests as between different communities. A grove of pines without underbrush, carpeted with the fine-fingered russet leaves of the pine, and odorous of resinous gums, has scarcely a trace of likeness to a maple woods, either in the insects, the birds, the shrubs, the light and shade, or the sound of its leaves. If we lived in olden times among young mythologies, we should say that pines held the imprisoned spirit of naiads and water-nymphs, and that their sounds were of the water for whose lucid depths they always sighed. At any rate, the first

pines must have grown on the sea-shore, and learned their first accents from the surf and the waves; and all their posterity have inherited the sound, and borne it inland to the mountains.

I like best a forest of mingled trees, ash, maple, oak, beech, hickory, and evergreens, with birches growing along the edges of the brook that carries itself through the roots and stones, toward the willows that grow in yonder meadow. It should be deep and sombre in some directions, running off into shadowy recesses and coverts beyond all footsteps. In such a wood there is endless variety. It will breathe as many voices to your fancy as might be brought from any organ beneath the pressure of some Handel's hands. By the way, Handel and Beethoven always remind me of forests. So do some poets, whose numbers are various as the infinity of vegetation, fine as the choicest cut leaves, strong and rugged in places as the unbarked trunk and gnarled roots at the ground's surface. Is there any other place, except the sea side, where hours are so short and moments so swift as in a forest? Where else, except in the rare communion of those friends much loved, do we awake from pleasure, whose calm flow is without a ripple, into surprise that whole hours are gone which we thought but just begun blossomed and dropped, which we thought but just budding!

HENRY WARD BEECHER.

SPRING-TIME.

IS spring-time, bright spring-time! all nature is gay;
For winds cold and piercing have all passed away;
And now the bright sunshine gives warmth to the air,
And changes delightful are seen everywhere.

The farmer with keen plow is tilling the ground,
Then seeds with his hand he will scatter around;
The little birds build their warm nests in the trees,
And twitter and chirp as they fly in the breeze.
The buds on the hedge-rows all open out so,
And gay-colored blossoms begin now to grow;
The daisies, and cowslips, and primroses sweet,
We make into bouquets, so pretty and neat.
The call of the bluebird so joyous doth rise,
As cheerful and happy now onward he flies;

The lambkins are skipping and running with glee,—
A pleasing example to you and to me!

HOW ARBOR DAY IS OBSERVED IN VARIOUS STATES.

THE

HE information centained in the following pages was largely obtained from 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 Instruction 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 proclamation 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 Governor is to issue a proclamation, and the State Superintendent and county superintendents 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 Day, 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 Education issued elaborate suggestions, with selections for program. Since that date it has been left to the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture.

DELAWARE.

annual reports.

No response from State Superintendent; no data found in

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

"Specimen Programs.") Ten thousand school districts observed the day in 1889. Following is an extract from Governor Fifer's proclamation of 1889: “Let the children in our schools, the young men and women in our colleges, seminaries and universities, with their instructors, co-operate in the proper observance of the day by planting shrubs, vines and trees that will beautify the home, adorn the public grounds, add wealth to the State, and thereby increase the comfort and happiness of our people."

INDIANA.—This State has two Arbor Days - one in April and one in November of each year, established in 1884. The State Superintendent issues a circular recommending its observance. The practice is growing in favor, and local pride is increasing. The latest biennial report gives some interesting selections for general use.

IOWA. - Arbor Day was established in 1882. The law provides that the board of directors in each district, township and independent district, should set out twelve or more shade trees on each school-house site. Timely suggestions by the State Superintendent are issued in circulars fixing a day late in April or early in May. The "Loyal Leaflet," issued in 1889, by Superintendent Sabin was a choice contribution to Arbor Day literature, combining patriotism and tree-planting very happily.

KANSAS. - The date is fixed by proclamation by the Governor. No further information received from State Superintendent or annual reports.

KENTUCKY.— From a letter dated Dec. 30, 1889, from Superintendent Jos. Desha Pickett, the following extract is made:

1. Arbor Day was instituted in this State by joint resolution of the General Assembly, March 31, 1886.

2. Attention was duly called to the day by Governor Knott and then by Governor Buckner.

3. The Superintendent of Public Instruction has suggested that the act of the General Assembly of March 31, 1886, be so amended as to direct its observance by the school children of the Commonwealth, but not as a legal holiday.

4. Many of our leading citizens are deeply interested in the cause of forestry, knowing its imperative importance.

LOUISIANA.— No response from State Superintendent; no data found in annual reports.

MAINE.- No response from State Superintendent; no data from annual re

ports.

MARYLAND.-The day was established by law in 1884. The Governor is authorized and directed to issue a proclamation annually, designating a day in April. The law especially directs the planting of forest shade trees along public roads and around school-houses. The Superintendent of Public Instruction issues a circular in addition to the proclamation of the Governor. About five thousand trees are planted annually. Although the joint resolution was passed in 1884 no proclamation was issued until 1888. The observance was very general and enthusiastic.

MASSACHUSETTS.- The last Saturday in April is fixed by law as Arbor Day," and was established in 1886. The Governor issues a proclamation, and programs are prescribed by local superintendents. The day is observed especially by the school children, but is also observed by the people generally, in accordance with the proclamation. There are no data as to the number of trees planted.

MICHIGAN.-The following concurrent resolution was approved March

26, 1885:

Resolved, That the Governor is hereby requested to call the attention of the people of this State to the importance of planting trees for ornament and shade, by naming a day on which this work shall be given special attention, to be known as Arbor Day."

Superintendent Joseph Estabrook writes November 25, 1889: "There is no uniformity in the manner of observing the day. Last spring a large number of the graded schools observed it with appropriate exercises. No record is made of the number of trees planted."

MINNESOTA.- The day has been observed since 1885, but is not established by law. The Governor issues a proclamation fixing the day (usually in April — in 1889, April 26), and the Superintendent of Public Instruction supplements the proclamation with a circular. There were 6,394 trees planted in 1888, and 39,395 in 1889.

From Governor Merriam's proclamation of 1889, the following extract is made:

"The day possesses the rare feature of being one of pleasure to those who participate in the work to which it is dedicated, and of being in far greater degree, fruitful in blessings to the children, the children's children, and the generations to follow."

MISSISSIPPI.- (Not observed.)

MISSOURI.— Arbor Day established by law in 1886-the first Friday after first Tuesday in April. The Superintendent of Public Schools issues a circular annually, calling attention to the law and suggesting the character of exercises. About 27,000 trees have been planted.

NEBRASKA.— To this State belongs the distinction of inaugurating the observance of Arbor Day, and she has also been the most industrious in this direction, adding to sentiment, something practical. Ex-Governor J. Sterling Morton was an earnest advocate of the plan, and millions of growing trees are the silent outgrowth of his enthusiasm. The statutes of Nebraska designate April 22, as Arbor Day; the Governor usually issuing a proclamation, followed by a circular from the State Superintendent, who occasionally submits a program. Prizes are given for planting the largest number of trees. The school authorities try to have trees in every school-yard. The day is made a school holiday to all schools observing the day. Nearly 400,000,000 trees have been planted in this State under this law and practice.

NEVADA.- Arbor Day was established by law, February 10, 1887, and provides that the Governor shall fix a day by proclamation. A day in April was