In the days of the Mauch Jeynasty, the reigning Emperor made 'a practice of going to a sclectet farm near his palace and there digging up a spade-full of earth His example was followed by oft-Jcials, high and low, throughout the This was done on Li-chun, according to the Chinese ealenldar, the Beginning of Spring, the object being to impress nation the need of better farming and cultivation. From memorial, as everybody knows, Chinese have been great farmers, some say even the best of any; but nobody ever paid any attention to forestry, in spite of their veneration Mr. Sowerby: speaks in hin charming article todas. Hence the vast expanses of treeless land where trees could ly have been grown and from which China might be receiving 3 good revenue. It is only since the establishment of the Republi: that has any real attention has been paid to forestry. Dr. Sun Yat-sen included in his programme of reform a scheme for the establish ment of a Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, appointing Mr. Surg hiao-jen (who was assassinated inking Railway as the Chinese believe, by agents to President Yuax Shih-kai) to the post. Mr. Sung drew up a plan for the afforestati of China's waste lands and on Ching-ming (Pure Brightness, according to the Chinese calendar)' ho planted the first official tree and decreed that thereafter the day was also bbe known as Arbor Day. All officials were ordered to follow suit one plant a tree each year. The hope was thst the official example would penetrate downwards and fire the people to like good work. Sines then many Chinese have taken an active interest in forestry and, experts have been employed to tead: the scientific side, while afforestation-and experimental stations have been established in Nanking, Canton and Tsingtao, all of which are said not only to bz paying their way, but bringing profits to those in charge. Nowadays people of all classes are to be seen on Arbor Day (which this year fell yesterday) learrying small branches and planting them. In Peking, Hangchow ani Canton, where there are now trees galore, officials plant trees each Jyear and mark them with their names and the date of planting.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.