The Press Junior THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1938. Arbor Day

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22465, 28 July 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Press Junior THURSDAY, JULY 28, 1938. Arbor Day

During , next week in all parts of New Zealand pupils in the schools will take part in organised tree planting excursions to celebrate Arbor Day. They will be told, as their elder sisters and. brothers have been told on Arbor Days through many years, the good points in favour of systematic tree-planting in countries where trees are cut for timber or other purposes or in countries where there are few trees growIhg. They will be reminded that trees are necessary to a country and.a people for shelter, as an encouragement to birds, to protect the soil from erosion, for new supplies of timber and wood pulp, and for their own - value and beauty to all human beings. All who plant trees next week should know that they are following the advice of wise men who lived many hundreds of years ago. Virgil, the Roman writer who lived from 70 B.C. to 19 8.C., wrote lines which have been translated in this way: The trees we plant grow slowly, and their shade Stays for our sons when, we, the planters, fade. And this may be taken as a reminder to us to plant trees early, for they take long to grow. Many people, indeed, will know this very well; and some will think it not worth their while to plant trees: they will consider that they themselves will have no benefit from them. Such a selfish outlook is one to deplore; and it is one which may be avoided by all young people. Those who are nine years old to-day may plant a tree and watch it grow for 20 years; and at the end of the £0 years they will find pride and satisfaction in the sight they see. They will be able to imagine the tree with another century added to its age, and they will be able to think of the pleasure that tree is to give to future generations. Many people—and many more could adopt their custom—make it a habit to, plant a tree or a group of trees to represent each year they have lived in a certain place; this is the way some of the good plantations have grown up in the country districts of New Zealand: And as the extensive plantations increase in numbers so the birds that are so valuable to us will increase in numbers and usefulness throughout the country. It is fitting that Arbor Day should be held at the beginning of August, the birds’ lean month. For if people arc encouraged to think about the trees they may think for a month about the birds, too. And they may make it a habit for the month to nut out food and sweetened drinks for the birds so that they do not starve in the weeks before the new insects have grown, When the berries are all finished, and before the new flowers are here to provide nectar. No one wmi of birds without thinking of trees; and no one who is with the bush life can

think of trees without also thinking of birds and the pleasure they give. Those who plant trees for the future and those who observe Arbor Day should remember also the bowls, of honey and water and the crusts'and crumbs on’-the lawn that will save many -■hundreds of birds from starvation in the month oi August* ■ . . •