Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-01-15
TREES ON THE FARM.
THE OLD FAMILY FRIENDS SHOULD NOT
Re RUTHLEssLY DESTROYED.

Farmer Hardscrabhle is cutting dowr
/ his orchard The fruit is good for moth
/ ing, ne SAYS, except for cider, and tha'
/ i an article he has little use for. Aud sc
the once pretty orchard Is becoming
useless, worn out field.
The family was discussing the matter
few mornings ago. when Mrs. Hard
/ scrabble yentured to remark, Il Ike ap'
pies both for eating and cooking, but the
I worth Of the fruit j. but a small part oi
the value Of an apple tree to me. lh'
children have probably spent more play
time in that orchard than in any other
field on the farm, and being near the
house sometimes have little outing
there myself. The trees were low and
drooped prcttily over the large rocks
which served for seats, making com
Portable resting-plsce of summer alter
noon. Aud besides | like 10 have the
birds about the place. IL Is for Your
Interest to keep them near your heids
and gardens. The birds which would
have found homes In the trees which
you have cut would have saved YOU
more In wear as insect destroyers than
the wood will be worth"
Bu, this earnest plea amounted 10
nothing. and the women, children and
birds will be forced 10 find their pleas
ure elsewhere.
The first wear that Farmer Hardscrsb-
bic lived on the place he cut two noble
oaks I'm the meadow not far from the
house, giving as reason that the dry
tNigs>dropped In the grass, making a
bother NJ having time. The second year
he turned family OF pigs into small
orchard near the house, allowing them
% destroy two nice apple trees which
hung full of the best fruit the year be-
fore.
TO the credit ot Farmer Hardscrabble,
will mention two cases IN which he has
shown leniency:
Ata short distance from the house
:, tnds a tiuely-formed ch'rry tree. IL Is
of un possible u~e A. far - fruit Is CON
cern,i. for the cherries are hard aud
sour. ripeuing late, IL ever. "Chris,mas
cherries. " the farmer calls them. But
out of regard 20 the wiie's love Tor trees,
thi, one has been allowed 10 stand, max
Ing happy teuting ground Tor the
rohinsand Joy forever To the hard
working wife.
Down In the lane, In full sight from
Mrs. Hariscrabble's sittiug-room win
iows stands large willow, a veritaoie
eyesore 10 the men folks but thing OF
beauty" 10 this nature loving woman.
The retty color which keeps all Through
the winter when the surrounding land
scape i drear and brown, its changing
tints Il the first intimaiion Of spring, to
sav nothing of the many families Of ORR
OLE reared within lis leafy screen, are
real pleasures 20 Mrs. Hardscrabble, "a
inexpensive a. they are innocent.
Upon a neighboring farm, the owner
cut the top from a noble oak last winter,
which had been the friend and playmate
of every child in the neighborhood for
several generations. II Was known far
and near 81. the "hig osk" and probably
no person living remembers when II was
one whit less beautiful. But there
stands it, mutilated body to-day. mon
ument Of ii, owners thick-headeduess.
lie also fe,led grand old elm which
stood in full view from my window. |
wondered what right he had 10 do II, ana
felt like adding my complaint 10 that oi
the poor cSttie NIo "e'c """' ="
beneath It's shade.
People will. of course, do what they
choose with their own, but | wish IL was
possible Ia make it state prison offence
10 needlessly cut a noble tree. The laws
will not allow a man 10 set fire 10 his
own property. Why should there be
such difference made in the kind OF
tool used for destruction, whether axe
or torch?-New England Farmer.