CHAPTER XXXIX 



THE YOUNG OBCHAED 



ONE of the most enjoyable occupations of a 

 farmer's life is the care of young trees. Until 

 your experience in this work is of a personal and 

 proprietary nature, you will not realize the pleas- 

 ure it can afford. The intimate study of plant 

 life, especially if that plant life is yours, is a never 

 failing source of pleasurable speculation, and a 

 thing upon which to hang dreams. You grow to 

 know each tree, not only by its shape and its 

 habit of growth, but also by peculiarities that 

 belong to it as an individual. The erect, sturdy 

 bearing of one bespeaks a frank, bold nature, 

 which makes it willing to accept its surroundings 

 and make the most of them ; while the crooked, 

 dwarfish nature of another requires the utmost 

 care of the husbandman to keep it within the 

 bounds of good behavior. And yet we often find 

 that the slow-growing, ill-conditioned young tree, 

 if properly cared for, will bring forth the finest 

 fruit at maturity. 



To study the character and to watch the de- 

 velopment of young trees is a pleasing and use- 

 ful occupation for the man who thinks of them 



Q 226 



