Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-08-02

at what I had done, and my muscles
gloried in the toll. Again swung the
pillow around, and drove it across the
field, feeling the reluctant grass roots
fighting every muscle of my arms.
'There," said 1, triumphantly, "you
pillow all the rest as deep as that"
"Begobs, ye'z all rightr' cried Mike.
went back again down the slope
with all the joy of small boy and
descended upon the orchard. I had a
couple of bulletins on pruning in my
pocket, with pictures Of old trees re-
morselessly headed down. l took a
fresh look at the pictures, reread some
of the text where I had marked it,
and tackled the first tree, carefully re-
peating to myself: Remove only
third the first year, remove only
third the first year"
This, decided, quite naturally did
not refer to dead wood. By the time
I had the dead wood cut out of that
first old tree, and all the water sprouts
removed (as I recalled my grandfather
used to call them), which didn't seem
necessary for new bearing wood, the
poor thing began to look naked. On
one side an old water spout or sucker
had achieved the dignity of a limb
and shot far into the air. / was up
in the tree carefully heading this back
and out when Bert came driving by
with his wagon heaped to overlooking.
"Hiv' he called, Eyer tryin' to Kill
them trees entire!'
I got down and came out to the road.
you're a fine man and true friend,
! Mr. Temple" said I, ''but I'm going
to be the doctor for this orchard. A
chaps got to have some say for him
self, you know"
"Well, they amt much good, any
how, them trees" said Bert cheer
fully.
We now fell to unloading the wagon.
We opened up the woodsheds and
storehouse behind the kitchen, slowed
In the barrels Of seed potatoes, the fer
tilizers, the various other seeds, the
farm implements, sprayers, and so on.
The hotbed frames and sashes were
put away for future use, as it was too
late to need them now. The horse hoe
Bert had not been able to bring on
this trip. Next we got my books and
furniture into the house or shed, and,
tired, hot and dirty, we drove on up
the road for dinner. AS we passed the
upper field, saw that the blowing
was nearly done. The brown burrows
had already lost their gloss. as my
hands had already lost their wilderness.
"Well, I'm farmer nowv' said I,
surveying my soil-caked boots and
grimy clothes.
eyer on the way, anyhow" said
Bert. "But yer'n have ter cultivate
thet field hard, seems how it oughter
hev been plowed last fall"
That afternoon went back to my
orchard, got out my shiny and sharp
new doubled-edged pruning saw, and
sawed till both arms ached.
AS I worked, thought how this
orchard must be trimmed and cleaned
up first, but how the fine planting
weather was upon us, too, and ought
to be getting my garden seeds in, If
was to have any flowers. I thought
also, of all my manuscripts to be read
A nervous fit seized me, and worked
frantcal1y.
That night I managed to keep awake
till eleven, and got some work done
I also rose at compromise hour OF
six in the morning, and worked another
hour, almost catching up with wha,
I realized that hereafter could MOI
work on the farm all day. I must give
up my mornings to my manuscript
reading.
"Well," thought I, "I'll do ia!
soon as the orchard is finished"
AS soon as the orchard was finished
I stood amid the litter I had made OF
the ground, and reflected. had com
pleted the preliminary trimming O.
one row and part Of a second. Their,
were still over two rows and half t,
do. And the worst trees were In thos
rows, at that After they wer
trimmed, there was all the litter t.
clear out, and the stubs to be painted
> and cement work to be done.
"Good graciousv' thought I, 'if d.
all that, when will I plant, when vii
> make my lawn?"
= Were you ever lost in the woods, 8
that you suddenly felt mad desire t
rush blindly in every direction, help
q :, less, bewildered, with a horrid sense
y ton that your heart has gone dow
Z, somewhere into your abdomen? Tha
is the way I suddenly felt toward m
farm. I couldn't afford to emplo
8 more labor. Besides, didn't want tt
1 wanted to do the work myself. Br
there was so much to do!
y Have you ever watched a small BIO
picking berries? He never picks
f. bush clean, but rushes after this {
h that big cluster Of fruit which strike
le the eye, covering half an acre
T. ground while you, perhaps, are stri,