GETTING ACQUAINTED fVITH THE TREES 



My own tree acquaintance has proceeded 

 none too rapidly, and I have been — and am 

 yet — as fond of the toothsome nuts as any one 

 can be who is not a devotee of the new fad 

 that attempts to make human squirrels of us 

 all by a nearly exclusive nut diet. I think 

 that my regard for a nut tree as something 

 else than a source of things to eat began when 

 I came, one hot summer day, under the shade 

 of the great walnut at Paxtang. Huge was 

 its trunk and wide the spread of its branches, 

 while the richness of its foliage held at bay 

 the strongest rays of the great luminary. How 

 could I help admiring the venerable yet lusty 

 old tree, conferring a present benefit, giving 

 an instant and restful impression of strength, 

 solidity, and elegance, while promising as well, 

 as its rounded green clusters hung far above 

 my head, a great crop of delicious nut -fruit 

 when the summer's sun it was so fully absorb- 

 ing should have done its perfect work ! 



Alas for the great black walnut of Paxtang! 

 It went the way of many another tree monarch 

 whose beauty and living usefulness were no 

 defense against sordid vandalism. In the course 



i6o 



