Pacific Rural Press, Volume 32, Number 9, 28 August 1886 — Joaquin Miller and Arbor Day. [ARTICLE]

Joaquin Miller and Arbor Day.

In a letter to Major-< ieneral Howard, Joaquin Miller, the poet, has asked that officer to consent to a peaceful invasion of Goat Island for a novel but decidedly praiseworthy service. Mr. Miller proposes that on some day next month yet to be fixed, himself and such friends as he can enlist for the purpose, including those better known to him in the walks of journalistic and general literary life, shall visit the island and plant shrubs which shall develop into stately trees. * * * He proposes that this shall result in the institution of an arbor day in California, and that the example of tree planting, which it is desired shall be set upon this island, shall be copied all over the State, to the end that the birth of new forests shall at least keep pace with the destruction of existing ones.— The < all, Aug. 21.

The idea of covering the bare sides of (loat Island with forest trees is an excellent one, and we hope Mr. Miller and his friends may accomplish it. The establishment of an arbor day for California is an institution we have long advocated and hope to see realized, but we must decidedly object to September as a month for planting forest trees in California. Unless our literary friends should be careful to get pot-grown trees, and plant the balled roots without disturbance, and then plan a weekly pilgrimage to the island for the purpose of watering the poor things until the winter rains really set in, we imagine about all the results of the plantation would be the poetry the) would write about it. We want (ioat Island covered and we want trees in many other places throughout the State, and we want an arbor day with all its horticultural and literary features, but the climate of California does not want it in September if any " stately trees " are to be attained.