THE MAN WHO SELLS THE NURSERY STOCK. 317 



worry, "What was to be done with Smith's order ?" Every one that 

 called was apprised of the order that would be sold cheap, and so 

 it could be distinguished from the others a blue pencil was used with 

 the letters, N. G. in large size across the face of the tag. Along in 

 the afternoon, when the rush was on, he noticed a man going along 

 the trenches lookin-^- at each bundle carefully and examining each 

 tag. When the deliveryman approached him, "Can I do anything 

 for you?" "Don't know, guess I have some trees here." (Going 

 over his book.) "What is your name?" "Sam Smith." "Oh yes, 

 Mr. Smith, I have some trees for you. I noticed your order when 

 we were packing, saw it was the largest order in the delivery, and 

 I personally selected you the finest lot of trees in the nursery. See, 

 here they are. Just look how straight each free and perfect the head, 

 and such a root system cannot be had." Smith was not able to get 

 in a word but was looking closely at the trees, also at the others, 

 and at last he noticed the letters, N G. on the tag. "What does 

 this mean ?" enquired Smith, "I do not see it on ^ny other bundle." 

 "I'll tell you, Mr, Smith, how I came to put those letters, N G, 

 on the card. When we were packing I instructed the boys to put 

 in each package three gooseberries, as a gift, and as I personally 

 selected your order and was out longer in getting it ready to pack 

 the boys informed me on my return they had no more gooseberries, 

 so there are no gooseberries in this package. I went out and dug a 

 dozen of currants, which are here," pointing at a package with a 

 lost tag. 



No other vocation surpasses that of tree-men in possibilities and 

 surely none other in antiquity. From that very remote date when 

 Adam was lured by the beguilement of Eve into tasting the forbid- 

 den fruit down to a more recent date when Jeff Davis was to hang 

 to a sour apple tree, the fruit and fruit trees of the earth have been 

 largely identified with its history — and have exercised a good part 

 in shaping its destiny. 



Would it not be curious as well as interesting to have some 

 noted theologian try to determine just what effect it would have had 

 upon the human race had the apple of which Adam partook been a 

 juicy Yellow Transparent or a crisp Patten's Greening sprayed with 

 arsenites and copper sulphate, instead of that sour crabby Pyrus 

 baccata. Had it been possible for some fruit-tree agent to have ex- 

 isted, who could with the assurance of his class gotten as much as 

 one foot inside the garden gate, then I feel sure no human power 

 could have expelled him until by the aid of his soft sounding 

 phrases, his sweet scented voice — in addition to the showy plate 

 book, he had succeeded in stocking the garden of Eden with all the 



