ARBOR DAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 410, 14 July 1908, Page 2

ARBOR DAY.

The following circular has been addressed to the Chairmen of ■ School Committees and head teachers, by the Chairman (Mr F. Piraui) of the Wanganui Education Board, in reference to Arbor Day:—

In view of the important lessons which the occasion may be made the means of teaching, the Board has resolved that Arbor Day, the 22nd inst., should be fitly celebrated. Committees will make such arrangements as will suit local circumstances, but the Board believes that some such programme as the following will prove generally acceptable: (r) As- i semble, National Anthem, ting the flag ; (2) an address by the Chairman of the Committee and others ; (3) songs and recitations by pupils ; (4; pupils present to the school, pictures, books, curios, specimens, or seedlings} (5) the junior children, under the lady-teachers, will ornament the walls of the class-rooms with the pictures, and the senior pupils will proceed to the play-ground to plant the tiees (all the tools necessary for doing the work would need to be at hand) ; (6) the Chairman to declare the rest of the day a holiday ; (7) the parents and the general public might be invited to attend, and the occasion might perhaps be signalised by a little social function at the school. The following is the method of tree-planting recommended by Mr Grant, the Board’s supervisor of agricultural training:—“Dig the holes somewhat larger than the natural spread of the roots. If the soil is poor some well-rotted farmyard manure should be mixed with it, but on no account should fresh farmyard manure or fertilisers containing potash or soda be used. In, planting, the roots of all trees should have a fine mellow bed of good soil, which should be firmly pressed in contact with every rootlet. No air. spaces should be left, and no two roots should be in contact. After the fine soil to a depth of three or four inches is pressed in place, the remainder may be thrown loosely on top. If the early summer is dry, it is a good plan to apply a mulch of straw, weeds, hay, or teatree around the tree. This mulch should be about three inches deep, and should cover STTv area a little larger than the size of the hole in which the tree was planted. Before planting trees in the school ground it will be necessary to have a plan carefully drawn out. The completion of the plan may be the work of years, but without a plan no work of any * value can be done. The first thing to plan for is shelter, and from the data accumulated in most schools this will not be a difficult task. It is not a good plan to plant tall growing trees in front of the school, or to plant trees in a poswr tion that they will block out any good views that may be had from the school grounds.” All concnbuti ms by way of plants, labour, fencing, and manure are subsidised by the Department.