The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-10-18

| his scions into one the slits at the
lower side OF the girdle, and sprang
the other end into the corresponding
slit at the upper side.
This made a sort OF living bridge
over the bare girdled portion OF the
tree. He proceeded TO put in the
/ cther two cuttings in the same way,
and then carefully covered their ends
with grating wax.
Now said Smell, "the sap will go
up into the tree through those
bridges, and will go down again That
is all the tree wants. The old CEN
tral stem will rot away some time,
but these bridges will grow until very
likely they will come together. But
IL doesn't matter whether they ever
come together. The tree will live
and thrive just the same"
Silas Barstow and Walter followed
SHELLS movements with open eyes
and mouths. Even the dog seemed
TO be interested. Smell went to an
other tree, and declared that this one
needed only two bridges. He put
them in and waxed them. Another
tree had been gnawed upon only one
side, and needed but one bridge.
All through the orchard the man
went, rapidly whiting and chiseling
and waxing, putting three bridges
into every badly-girdled tree. The
hours went by. Sias and his son
went zap to the barn to finish the
chores, but came back again as soon
as they could, to watch silently the
strange operations OF the horticul-
turst.
Il guess he knows what he's
about the father had said to Walter
at the barn. Anyhow, the trees
were killed, and he can't kill 'em any
deader. 'Twon't do any harm to let
him work"
There" " said Smell, when, at about
half past twelve o'clock, the last tree
had been patched up, 81 guess that'll
do. If | killed your trees, | think
nature, who is friend OF mine, will
kindly bring them to life again"
Look here, Mr.. Smell" said the
farmer, 81 guess we've been doing
you injustice. | haven't a mite of an
idea now that you girdled those trees.
And what made my dog run at you
last fall I'm sure don't know"
At this, Walter, who had been
fidgeting for some time, broke down
and began TO cry.
What's the matter with you, bub?"
said Barstow.
90 father" exclaimed the boy, "I
never told you-I set Prince on Mr..
Snell!"
nothing. The look implied that he
had some kind of an account to settle
with the boy.
"Well, WELL" Silas said TO Smell,
"Pm sure I'm greatly obliged to you!
Besides being liable in way for the
damage that that dog did to you, I'm
indebted to you for what you've done
to the orchard. Wen try to settle it
with YOU somehow"
81 don't want any settlement" said
Smell, little hotly. "If YOU people
will try to get it into your heads
somehow that a man can attend
strictly to his own business without
>eing public enemy, and study tho
works of nature without being a mad
man, shall consider myself we'll
paid for my pains and trouble"
They were walking through the
dooryard. "I'll guess you'll stay and
take some dinner with us, won't you,
Mr.. Snell?" asked Barstow.
"No, thank you. You are very
kind" said Smell. but my sister will
be expecting me-"
The news of SMELLS performance
ran rapidly through New Joppa.
Very few of the people believed that
the apple trees would live.
They'll leave out this year" said
Squire Burnham, who was regarded
as an authority on fruit raising, land
maybe they'll bear plentifully this
fall But they'll all die in the end
Some of the people affected TO
think that Smell really girdled the
trees, and that this singular grating
was mere trick. But Barstow be-
lieved in him thoroughly, and his
talk helped to break the force of the
prejudice against Smell. People be-
gan to take new view of the mans
sedulous fruit culture and poultry
raising at home, and of his long
walks abroad. in which he was seen
to be studying the earth and all its
blossomings and fruitage.
OF course. all New Joppa watched
the Barstow orchard. Ii produced
famously that year and did very we'll
the next. A half-dozen trees died,
perhaps. out OF the whole one hun
dred and twenty. The rest thrived
apace.
This was twenty years ago. To-day
there is not better orchard in the
country than that which belongs 10
Mr.. Walter Barstow-for Silas Bars
tow has been gathered TO his fathers
But many of the trees presc.r
strange appearance. The original
has rotted all away. leaving a hole
a l. h., II =