The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-04-04
PLEASURE IN FRUITS
Too Many People Are HuddIed
Together in Big Cities.
II One Would Interest Himself IN
orchardIng He Would Find All Ma
ture Soon Assuming New
FriendIlness for Him.
Hv r B. BUCKHAM.)


What the great majority Of people,
young and old, of today need more
than anything else is to be taught
how to enjoy the pleasures and ad-
yantages of life in the country. When
one stops to think of it, what a shame
It is that so many should be huddled
together and cooped up in the great
cities, all the year round, when they
ought to be out in the open!
Recommend to friend to try the
country. and you will doubtless find
him ready enough to make the at
tempt. but in a week or so you will
quite likely see him coming back
again, bag and baggage. He did not
find it to his liking, and gave it up.
And it is only natural that he should;
a result to be expected; for he was
simply out of his accustomed environ
ment, and ill at ease. He did not
know how to accustom himself to his
new surroundings, and so did not nnd
them satisfactory.
It is the outcome of the same prin-
ciple which will be seen at work in
many other fields of experience. 1t Is
said that when person beholds the
sea for the first time, it rarely, II ever,
makes an impression upon him. 1t is
to him a wide expanse of water, and
that is ALL But as one comes to know
1t better. it's many moods and ever
changing aspects, it becomes at length
grand, impressive, awe-inspiring, and
an endless source of fascination.
It is so, too, with the works Of the
great masters Of the past. He who
looks upon even their greatest master
pieces for the first time, usually won
ders, if at all, that they should appeal
to others as they do. But as he
comes to be able to understand and
appreciate them, he too, feels their
all absorbing charm and noble inspira-
ton.
One must know how to appreciate
the country, in order to enjoy it. Con-
firmed city jewellers are accustomed
to Being amused all the time. Every
one of their waking hours must be
frittered away with foibles Of one kind
or another, or they are miserable.
They will sit for hours and watch
juggler perform his tricks, though
they know them to be but deception
all the time, and yet the great pro-
cesses Of nature may go on before
them without arousing their interest
In the leasti But If they only knew
how to find entertainment in the
changing seasons, the great dramas Of
seedtime and harvest, the story would
be vastly different one. It is said
that the Danish, wholly an agr1cul-
tural people, are the happiest in the
world.
None need ever lack occupation and
entertainment for all of his time, when
once he has made friends with ma
ture. Take for example fruit grow
ing. If one would but interest him.
self in this one branch of agriculture
he would find all nature assuming q
new friendliness for him. There is a
companionship to be gotten out Of the
care and observation of trees. very
real and satisfying Says Thoreau,
the seer of Walden Pond, "Sympathy
with the fluttering alder and poplar
leaves almost takes away my breath"
Since the dawn of creation the trees
have housed and fed the race, and
yet some in these latter days have SO
drifted away from this old-time part
nership of interests as to become al
most complete strangers to their old
time benefactors. Surely, this should
not be! It is unnatural and unwhole-
some. Do not fail to renew the old
alliance with the trees. 1t will bring
you a new hold upon life, and help
to heal the longtime breach between
you and mother earth