ARBOR DAY, an annual tree-planting day appointed by nearly every State and Ter ritory of the Union, sometimes as a legal hol iday and sometimes merely advisory, to as sist in f °resting or reforesting scantily-wooded tracts or shading or beautifying towns. It is generally in special connection with the public schools, to impress children with the import ance of forestry and natural beauty in our civilization. The date depends on the climate of different sections and is absolutely fixed in but few; most northern States hold it in April or early in May; Arizona, Texas and Alabama in February, the two latter on Wash ington's birthday; Florida in January, Georgia in December and New Mexico in March; many make it optional either with the State or with localities, and West Virginia holds it twice a year, in spring and fall. It arose from the alarm felt by the most far-sighted public men over the rapid and reckless deforestation of many parts of the Union, and the prospects of its extending to all the States, and a realiza tion of what that deforestation meant to the future welfare and development of the United States (see FORESTRY). Most civilized gov ernments at different times have looked after their forests to assure a supply of timber for naval construction; New Hampshire and New York, even in the colonial period, felt it needful to check the inroads on them; the United States government at the begin ning of the 19th century bought timber lands and a quarter of a century later authorized the President to take measures for their preser vation; and about the same time the Massa chusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture offeredprizes for forest planting. But the
first widespread realization of its importance was caused in 1864 by the notable book of George P. Marsh (q.v.), the eminent American scholar and diplomat, entitled