Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1900. Arbor Day.

Manawatu Herald, 21 June 1900, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 1900. Arbor Day.

We are in receipt of a circular from the Government stating that notwithstanding the rapid denudation of our forests, the spirited . interest evinced for the first few years after Arbor Day was instituted has not been maintained. As a consequence

we are asked to bring before the residents the great benefits to be derived from planting reserves and waste-places with trees suitable to positions selected. As to the "spirited" interest in Arbor Day having fallen off, it can be a matter of no surprise to any person who has been a witness of the humiliating attempts to teach the young idea how to plant, on these Arbor Days. The Government appears to he imbued with the jdea, generally entertained by tile rising generation, that to get anything done, all that is necessary is to do it, and how to do it is quite an unimportant part of the proceedings. At the inauguration of Arbor Day holes innumerable were dug, very seldom by the juvenile planters, a tree was hastily dropped into a hole and then another juvenile assistant covered it up, if not quite altogether a great deal more above the roote than good for the life of that tree, and then a rush was made for buns and lollies. The result has been that the greater part of the trees died, excepting those which were pulled out of the holes and properly replanted by adults. It has become an accepted fact that whatever planting is needed, it is better done by professional gardeners than by schoolchildren out for a holiday. Howaver, if it may so please the public, there can he no reason why another attempt at planting should not be made.

There have been but few people who are more interested in planting than we are, and Foxton exhibits in every direction the good example set by the early settlers. Long before any Arbor Day was instituted the Foxton Town Board planted a large aroa of the Recreation Reserve, and Victoria Park ; the County Council planted the Ferry hill ; the Racing Club planted their course, and also part of the railway line ; and the late Mr Robinson planted very considerable areas at Herrington There can be no doubt but that judicious planting improves every person's property, large or small, and we have always advocated this being done-

When planting i<* undertaken by a scratch committee, formed for tht one day in the year, there cannot be much interest shown in the result, and this is why we cannot urge much being done on the coming Arbor Day If a road is planted, considerable expense will have to be incurred for fencing, and if the Borough is satisfied, to go to that expense it would be better to make sure that the trees are planted by a responsible pei'son. Planting has to be learnt tho same as any other trade and this i 3 what appears to be so frequently overlooked. If an instance was needed in confirmation of our remarks we might instance the plant* ing of the Avenue in Victoria Park on Jubilee day, done in a hurry, not by children but by adults, with much too old trees to have been shifted, and placed in a most unnecessary place — with the result, luckily foi the park, that they are all dead ! An instance of time and money thrown away because amateurs thought anyone could plant a tree. Ibis is the lesson learnt in other districts and accounts for the want of " spirited interest " in Arbor Day.