THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED DAILY—MORNING. NELSON, TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1907. ARBOR DAY.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11995, 23 July 1907, Page 2

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED DAILY — MORNING. NELSON, TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1907. ARBOR DAY.

To-morrow, the 24th July, is appointed as Arbor Day, but though this means a holiday for many Civil servants, we have heard of no largely organised scheme for tree planting in this district. It may be urged that tkere is some difficulty in finding iuitable public places, easy of access for planting of trees, but surely more planting might be done at the Sands, Milton's Acre might be beautified, and many of the steep and rarely used hillside roadways both in town and country might be planted on either side and leafy groves provided. Jiut before anything useful can be done two things are needful. In the first place it is necessary to determine what trees are suitable for various localities, and in the second place what trees would at the same time beautify the landscape and prove of best service to man as they matured. In the past a great nuany comparatively useless trees have been planted, and, indeed, difficulty has been experienced when some well grown trees have been cut down to induce anyone to carry away the wood for fuel. That is not what should we, for with, the destruction of our Native bush, as settlement advances, there is cause to fear that before very many years have passed by there will be a shortage of timber in many districts. To a very large extent the threatened famine in timber might be averted, if, indeed, it might not wholy be guarded against, by judicious planting. In the first place, however, the people need to be well informed as to' the trees they should plant in various situations, and if such information were furnished muoh waste labor would be prevented. For sometime past the Government has employed prisoners in tree planting at more than one place, but it is extremely doubtful whether the varieties of trees selected have in all cases been judicious. The probabilities are that in many situations in this district tbe English oak, judging from the the fine specimens that are to be

met with, would prove one of tnr most valuable of trees,^but the people need information based on experience, and, as the Hon. R McNab, wbojjis the Minister in Charge of the Forestry Department, takes a keen ; interest in tree planting,fand is himajelfj^an authority,|^we" nope that he willj.see" that henceforth Arbor Day ffinpt,a mereffi arce.jbut that" en6oaragem6ntTis?giveD'to * the plantingjaf trees that^will gradually become of considerable value. We are convinced that when it is appreciated that every tree planted will add to the wealth of the country, more pride will be taken in observing Arbdr Day as it should be observed*