God hath written in those stars above;
But not less in the bright flowerets under us
Stands the revelation of His love.

Bright and glorious is that revelation,
Writ all over this great world of ours--
Making evident our own creation,
In these stars of earth, these golden flowers.

--LONGFELLOW.

Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity;
children love them; tender, contented, ordinary people love
them. They are the cottager's treasure; and in the crowded
town mark, as with a little fragment of rainbow, the windows
of the workers in whose heart rests the covenant of peace.

RUSKIN.

Arbor Day Celebrations.

[Illustration]

GROWING OBSERVANCE OF ARBOR DAY.

It adds to the pleasure attending the observance of Arbor Day when we
think how many are uniting with us in its celebration. It is but a few
years since the day was first known and its observance was limited to
a single one of our States. Now the day is known and observed from
Maine to Oregon and from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Not only is
this true, but this our tree-festival so commends itself to all that
its observance has spread more rapidly and more widely than any other
public observance in the world's history. It is already established in
portions of England, France, and Italy, in far-away South Africa and
Australia, and we shall probably hear before long of its adoption in
China and Japan.

And so, as we come together to have pleasant talks about the trees and
to march out with songs and banners to plant them in school grounds,
in parks, by the road-side or elsewhere, it will be pleasant to
remember that so many others are engaged in similar services. It
should make the day a happier one for us to think that so many will
enjoy it as we do, as it should always increase our happiness to know
that others are sharing with us anything that is good.

As it will, doubtless, be interesting to all engaging in the
celebration of the day, we give on the next page a list of the States
in which Arbor Day is observed.

STATES AND TERRITORIES OBSERVING ARBOR DAY.

YEAR OF
FIRST
STATES. OBSERVANCE TIME OF OBSERVANCE.

Alabama 1887 22nd February.
Arizona 1890-91 First Friday after first of February.
California 1886
Colorado 1885 Third Friday in April.
Connecticut