Arboriculture by Ambrose Bierce
"Arboriculture" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1890. The story follows a man named John Honeywood, who has made a fortune in the timber industry but is now facing financial ruin due to the decline of the forestry trade. In an attempt to recoup his losses, Honeywood turns to arboriculture, or the cultivation of trees for their wood and other products. However, he soon discovers that the art of arboriculture is not as simple as he had imagined, and he finds himself struggling to keep up with the changing times and the demands of his customers. Despite his best efforts, Honeywood's business fails, and he is left to confront the harsh realities of his situation.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1890 · Genre: Poetry, Satire, Nature Writing · 322 words
First lines
[Californians are asking themselves how Joaquin Miller will / make the trees grow which he proposes to plant in the form of / a Maltese cross on Goat Island, in San Francisco Bay. -- "New / York Graphic".]
You may say they won't grow, and say they'll decay -- / Say it again till you're sick of the say, / Get up on your ear, blow your blaring bazoo / And hire a hall to proclaim it; and you / May stand on a stump with a lifted hand / As a pine may stand or a redwood stand, / And stick to your story and cheek it through.
What this Textopian page supports
Arboriculture is listed on Textopian as an essay by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1890 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Satire, Nature Writing, American Literature, Humor
- Length: 322 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Arboriculture by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
- Satire — The text critiques societal attitudes towards nature and arboreal projects, using humor and irony.
- Nature Writing — The focus on trees, forests, and the natural landscape aligns with the themes of nature writing.
- American Literature — The work reflects American themes and settings, particularly related to California.
Tags
fiction · short stories · gothic horror · supernatural · trees · nature · culture · society · history · literary criticism · analysis · symbolism