AND HIS PLANT SCHOOL 169 



best were selected from the thousands. After years of 

 training another apple was graduated, and given the name 

 of the school, "Gold Ridge." This is a pale yellow apple, 

 with a crimson blush on one side. It is large, smooth, of 

 beautiful form and fine quality. It ripens earlier than its 

 ancestor, the Newtown Pippin. Thus one of Nature's 

 oldest fruit children has been cherished, nurtured, and 

 trained by the teacher, and no doubt other apple grad- 

 uates will go forth from the school and send their rich fruit 

 to happy firesides to grace the golden winter evenings 

 passed by circles of joyous friends. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII 

 THE BIRDS' FEAST 



It was one bright morning early in autumn that the 

 workmen of the plant school were attracted by an unusual 

 chatter in one of the walnut trees on the grounds. 



"Ah, I see," said the master when he came on his rounds. 

 "You birds have found my paper shell walnuts." And 

 sure enough, as he came closer, he saw a pretty nuthatch 

 "auck, auck-aucking," and then burrowing with his long, 

 pointed bill into the thin-shelled walnuts. "I see," he re- 

 peated to himself. "I've made those shells too thin." 

 Then he realized that the birds were having a grand feast. 



A big, flashily dressed yellow,hammer, forgetting his 



