Arbor Day orig. U.S.
(ˈɑːbə deɪ)
[L. arbor tree. Cf. arbor2.]
A day set apart by law, orig. in the state of Nebraska, afterwards observed throughout the U.S. and adopted in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, to be yearly observed for the planting of trees.
| 1872 in Encycl. Brit. (1902) XXXI. 112/2 Resolved that Wednesday, the 10th day of April 1872, be..set apart..for tree-planting in the state of Nebraska, and the State Board of Agriculture hereby name it Arbor Day. 1888 Daily Inter-Ocean 14 Mar. (Farmer), Governor Oglesby has designated April 13 as Arbor Day in Illinois. 1892 Congress. Rec. June 5404/2 In every quarter of the country ‘arbor days’ are days named by law, and also by custom, for planting forest trees to make lumber for the generations yet to come. 1902 Encycl. Brit. XXXII. 731/2 In order to encourage tree-planting [in S. Australia], a yearly school holiday devoted to this purpose, and known as Arbor Day, was established in 1886. 1967 N.Z. Listener 28 July, In New Zealand..Arbor Day is celebrated on the first Wednesday in August. |