48 THE LUKE OF THE LAND 



the forester, but it makes a still higher appeal, namely, 

 to his esthetic faculties. There is nothing more beauti- 

 ful than the bloom of the fruit tree, unless it be its 

 ripened fruit. A well kept fruit tree near the house 

 will be a strong factor in the ethical and esthetical edu- 

 cation of the child. Whitcomb Kiley's experience in 

 the apple orchard might be easily that of every farmer, 

 farmer's wife and farmer's child. It is not alone the 

 poet who can be " knee-deep in June." 



Orchard 9 s where I 'd ruther be 

 Need n't fence it in f er me ! 



Jes the whole sky overhead, 

 And the whole airth underneath 

 Sorto' so 's a man kin breathe 



Like he ort, and kindo' has 

 Elbow room to keerlessly 



Sprawl out len'thways on the grass 

 Where the shadder's thick and soft 



As the kivvers on the bed 

 Mother fixes in the loft 



Allus, when they 's company ! 



I do not know of any labor on the farm which is 

 possible of being made more productive of the cultiva- 

 tion of the finer feelings of the laborer than that which 

 is devoted to the care of a tree, and especially a fruit 

 tree. 



THE ORCHARD A HELP TO HEALTH. 



There is still another valuable point of view in favor 

 of the maintenance of a small farm orchard, namely, its 

 relations to health. Although raw fruits are unsuitable 

 for the early ages of life, they become very valuable 

 for children over five years of age and from that on to 

 the end of life. The judicious admixture of fruits 

 with the daily diet cannot fail to have, in practically 



