GETTING AC^AINTED WITH THE TREES 



mid-August the crab -apple held court of 

 beauty there — and an always hungry boy often 

 found something in addition to beauty in the 

 red and yellow fruits that were acid but 

 aromatic. 



With a little attention, if one would plant 

 crab - apples for their loveliness of fruit hue 

 and form, a fine contrast of color may be 

 had ; for some varieties are perfect in clear 

 yellow, against others in deepest scarlet, bloom- 

 covered with blue haze, and yet others which 

 carry all the colors from cream to crimson — 

 the latter as the warm sun paints deeper. 



Why do we not plant more fruit trees for 

 beauty? Not one of our familiar fruits will 

 fail us in this respect, if so considered. The 

 apricot will often have its white flowers open 

 to match the purity of the last snow, the 

 cherry will follow with a burst of bloom, the 

 apples and crab -apples will continue the show, 

 aided by plum and pear and peach, and the 

 quince — ah, there's a flower in a green enamel 

 setting! — will close the blooming- time. But 

 the cherry fruits now redden in shining round- 

 ness, the earlier apples throw rich gleams of 



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