94 THE HUMAN SIDE OF TREES 



sun-obscuring foliage of close-standing neighbours. 

 The motto is: be a quick-growing giant and force 

 yourself up into the luxury of upper air and light 

 or lie down and die. So the members of a pine 

 forest hold their arms close to their sides and poke 

 long slender necks up toward the source of all 

 light and power. On the other hand, if given the 

 space and light of some open spot, they put out 

 generous lower branches much like other tree folks. 

 The hard conditions of sylvan life develop 

 strong hardy types of trees, but many individuals 

 are lost in the shuffle. Civilised trees, like civilised 

 men at their best, show the highest, all-round de- 

 velopment. Given ideal location, food, protection 

 and attention, with even heredity helped along by 

 seed selection, the trees of our parks and meadows 

 undoubtedly become the strong men and beauties 

 of their race. Yet there is every indication that 

 they pay the price by a loss of resistance to the 

 dangers and trials of their old life. This is par- 

 ticularly true of fruit trees, which are the "softest" 

 and most educated of their kind. Neglected apple 

 trees seem to degenerate. They become knotted 

 and gnarled. Their fruit gets small and bitter. 

 The trees of abandoned orange groves revert to 

 savagery at once, arming themselves with immense 

 thorns. 



