Cape Breton's Magazine

le of bannocks, downed some black tea. There was an old black fiddle hanging on the wall. I suppose the tension of the shift or whatever, he decided to work it out. So he grabbed the violin. And the boy that owned the house or was boarding with him was sitting at the table, and he was just as exhausted or more than Ronald. And Ronald started to play. He wasn't putting much into it in the be? ginning, but he got caught up in his own fire, and he started to play heavier and heavier and wilder and wilder, and digging into the old music. And the man who was ex? hausted, with his huge big pit boots on, sitting alongside of him, felt he just had to get up and dance, the music was that good. So he started dancing away, and Ron? ald would play all the harder and play all the better tunes then. The man claimed that he danced so hard that night that he almost wore through the pine floor and dropped into the cellar. The two of them caught up for hours and hours, and they ap? parently played from dusk till dawn, even coming off the shift. This is the obses? sion they had with the music. It wasn't or? dinary at all; it was a real love, you know. Big Ronald used to travel to a house up in Port Hawkesbury, and when he'd play there, he always sat in the same chair in the kit? chen, leaning back with his head against the wall. I guess after years of coming there, there was a little mark where his head used to touch. He used to play at this man's house and always brought the tears to the man's eyes when he was really wound up. After Ronald passed away, the man had some painters in to do the house o- ver. And when they came to painting up that corner of the house, he wouldn't let them touch the spot where Ronald's head used to touch the wall. There's a saying--I've heard it used about Ronald MacLellan, paying him a particular tribute. Ronald was a kind of a moody play? er. Not only that, he adjusted his playing to the company. I suppose if he realized he had to. play very well, he would--if the right fiddlers were in the audience. Per? haps he would play especially well if he was challenged by another player. So the saying struck up about him, supposedly said by a man in Mabou, that Ronald could play fair, and he could play middling, and he could play good; but when he played good, the devil couldn't beat him. And that was supposed to be the ultimate com? ment on how good his playing was. There's a story about Angus Chisholm. He could play very well when he was chal? lenged, as well. He was the sort of fellow, when the chips were down he could really turn it on. One time Father John Angus Ran? kin was up in Antigonish, and he'd been in Planting Forest Trees Barerc trees v which raised Seedl or pi Idiner Tonta usual WHE' ot seedlings vith their ro they were in nurseries ngs grown 1 and transplant ots freed from grown. They rom two to f IV idividually in Stic receptacles are kno stock. The the seedlinf. ner itself m V less than a TO PLANT soil stays wit is planted {a iy not). Conta year old it ph s are young the soi are usu 3 years mill p A/n IS 1 tht r though itinj'tin in ,lly ptr on the k IS '' be pi, the ??root seedlings and transplants cai ted spring or fall. Spring is best because the trees can take root before freezeup Spring planting should start as ground can be worked and should end be? fore the buds expand and shoots emerge, a matter of a few weeks. This period can be ex? tended by placing the seedlings in cold stor- Container stock can be planted over a longer period • from after the ground tliaws until about mid-August (except in hot, dry weath? er). Fall planting runs more risk of frost-heav? ing because the seedlings may not have had Container seedlings may b? ()lanted with the help of i planting ,tube. To reduct frost-heaving, be sure th? seedling is planted at tht proper depth in a spot witf a good humus layer. Avoif used trees need propei ure depends a greal )ugh to spread the e depth they ? soil gently cing of six feet betweer lended • although this will ! on species and site condi otaki HOW TO PLANT? he most important thing is to keep the seed- ngs moist and cool and to plant them as )on as possible. Suitable tools for small :ale bareroot plani t from Brochure 7--Forest Practices, Planting For- nent of Canada, Regional Economic Expansion, Nova of Lands and Forests. Nova Scotia Forest Industries Baddeck - Port Hawkesbury - Antigonish IN5FI "The Pulp & Paper People"(45)