The other girls laughed and told her she would have to stick to her own tree.
Veve went back to work but she kept looking at the foliage before she touched it. She did not see another slug.
When Mr. Hooper presently came to the orchard to see how the Brownies were doing, Veve remarked that she thought the trees needed spraying.
“Why, bless you!” the orchard owner chuckled. “Already they’ve been sprayed four times. I put on one early in the season to control scale insects. Then I sprayed a second time just before the blossoms opened up. Since then the trees have had two extra treatments.”
Veve was amazed that so much work was required to keep the orchard in good condition.
“It’s a never-ending battle,” Mr. Hooper sighed. “One has to fight leaf spot, brown rot and the fruit fly, to mention only a few troubles.”
After the orchard owner had returned to the shed, the Brownies picked steadily for a while.
Then Rosemary shouted that her pail was filled. She was far ahead of the other girls.
“My bucket is full too,” announced Miss Gordon. “Come, Rosemary, shall we be the first to weigh in?”