56 THOREA U. 



thence to America; and our Western emigrant is 

 still marching steadily toward the setting sun with 

 the seeds of the apple in his pocket, or perhaps a few 

 young trees strapped to his load. At least a million 

 apple-trees are thus set farther westward this year 

 than any cultivated ones grew last year. Consider 

 how the Blossom- Week, like the Sabbath, is thus 

 annually spreading over the prairies ; for when man 

 migrates he carries with him not only his birds, 

 quadrupeds, insects, vegetables, and his very sward, 

 but his orchard also. 



The leaves and tender twigs are an agreeable food 

 to many domestic animals, as the cow, horse, sheep, 

 and goat ; and the fruit is sought after by the first, 

 as well as by the hog. Thus there appears to have 

 existed a natural alliance between these animals and 

 this tree from the first. &quot; The fruit of the Crab in 

 the forests of France &quot; is said to be &quot; a great resource 

 for the wild-boar.&quot; 



Not only the Indian, but many indigenous insects, 

 birds, and quadrupeds, welcomed the apple-tree to 

 these shores. The tent-caterpillar saddled her eggs 

 on the very first twig that was formed, and it has 

 since shared her affections with the wild cherry ; and 

 the canker-worm also in a measure abandoned the 

 elm to feed on it. As it grew apace, the bluebird, 

 robin, cherry-bird, king-bird, and many more, came 

 with haste and built their nests and warbled in its 

 boughs, and so became orchard-birds, and multiplied 

 more than ever. It was an era in the history of their 

 race. The downy woodpecker found such a savory 

 morsel under its bark, that he perforated it in a ring 

 quite round the tree before he left it, a thing 

 which he had never done before, to my knowledge. 



