II 



THE APPLE-TREE IN THE LANDSCAPE 



The April sun is soft on the broad open fenced fields, 

 waking them gently from the long deep sleep of winter. 

 Little rills are running full. The grass is newly coolly 

 green. Fresh sprouts are in the sod. By copse and high- 

 way the shad-bushes salute with their handkerchiefs. 

 Apple-trees show tips of verdure. It is good to see the 

 early greens of changing spring. It is good to look 

 abroad on an apple-tree landscape. 



As to its vegetation, the landscape is low and flat, not 

 tall. There is a vast uniformity in plant forms, a sub- 

 dued and constrained humility. A month later the leaf- 

 age will be in glory, but that also will have an aspect of 

 sameness and moderation. Perhaps the actual variety 

 of species will be greater than in many parts of the 

 abounding tropics, and to the careful observer the lux- 

 uriance will be as great, although, not so big; but as I 

 look abroad I am impressed with the economy of the 

 prospect. It comes nearer to my powers of assimilation, 

 quiets me with a deep satisfaction ; the contrasts are sub- 

 dued, the processes grade into each other imperceptibly 

 in the land of the lingering twihght. 



In this prospect are maples and elms and apple-trees. 

 The maples and elms are of the fields and roadsides. The 



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