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have a beginning, and therefore we must not undervalue a young orchard."

"Please to draw me a picture of such an orchard as you like, and then your trees will be just such as will please me.'

"Orchards are favourite places with me, not so much for the fruit they bear, as for their general character and influence on my mind. They make me peaceful, and grateful, and glad. Even now, when in an orchard in the autumn, my boyish days come over me very vividly; and I could almost climb the trees as formerly."

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"Now, then, for a picture, if you please." "An orchard of apple-trees is before me, not of your newfangled upright French' kind, with long twig-like boughs covered all the way up with fruit, like strings of onions; but a real old English orchard, of crooked and moss-grown trunks, and wide-spreading branches, whereon the russets, the rennets, and the golden pippins glitter in the sun-a goodly sight. Such an orchard is not often seen now; but there it is, and it does me good to gaze on it. I must have another look at those moss-grown, crooked trunks, those wide-spreading branches, and all their racy store of finest fruit.

The scene that spreads around
My wandering eyes behold,
While all the orchard glows
With vegetable gold."

"That is something like an orchard. I do like to look at an old crooked-trunked appletree; but a whole orchard of such trees is delightful."

"I could look on the different coloured mosses that grow on trees by the hour together. Moss seems to grow and to flourish everywhere.

'Tis Nature's livery round the globe,
Where'er her wonders range:
The fresh embroidery of her robe
Through every season's change.

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"I did not know that moss was so common everywhere."

"A few years ago, when on a visit at a farm-house in an elder-making country, the farmer's son told me of a circumstance which occurred in one of his father's orchards. During the time of apple-gathering, a man of the name of Preece was lifting up the long pole with a hook at the end, with which he shook the trees, to reach a top bough, when the pole slipped from his hand, fell on his mouth, and knocked out two of his teeth. Instead of lamenting his misfortune, tying up his mouth, going home and making a dismal affair of it, as many would have done.

poor Preece put up his hand and took the dislodged teeth from his mouth, flung them on the ground, made some remark about the 'ugly punch' it had given him, and then once more went to work in shaking the trees."

"What a man he must have been !"

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Rarely do I see an orchard, or even an apple, without it calling to my memory this account. Since then I have seen Preece myself busy in the plough-field, in the barn, and in apple-gathering; and the very sight of him has done me good, for I have said to myself, 'When trouble comes, let me call to mind poor Preece with his long pole, and be as patient as he was under misfortune."

"I shall not soon forget the picture of poor Preece in the orchard with his long pole."

"Orchards are pleasant possessions, Edwin; but neither orchards nor any other worldly possessions will satisfy the heart. Solomon made himself gardens and orchards, and planted trees in them, of all kinds of fruit; and gathered up silver and gold, and became great, and increased more than all that were before him in Jerusalem; and what does he say of himself after all?—Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun,' Eccles. ii. 11. Seek to grow in humility,

and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Encourage pure and holy thoughts, and try to live a life of love and usefulness. These are the fruits which should abound in our hearts and lives. Did the Saviour go about doing good, and shall we not humbly follow his bright example? Never let a day pass without getting or doing good.

'Some high or humble enterprise of good
Contemplate, till it shall possess thy mind,
Become thy study, pastime, rest, and food,
And kindle in thy heart a flame refined.

Pray Heaven for firmness thy whole soul to bind
To this thy purpose-to begin, pursue,

With thoughts all fix'd, and feelings purely kind;
Strength to complete, and with delight review,
And grace to give the praise where all is ever due.'"

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Hedgerows in different seasons-The poplar-tree and the ivyThe blackbird's nest, and the young blackbirds-The different situations in which birds build their nests-A nutting picture by the poet Wordsworth-Lazy Lawrence the lie-a-bed, and the frozen pond-Picture of winter-The voice of creation.

"HEDGEROWS! hedgerows, Edwin! What say you to a few pictures of hedgerows? You have seen them in spring, when the bright green leaves were just budding out; in summer, when covered with beautiful foliage; in autumn, when arrayed with all kinds

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