Quote by John Muir, Steep Trails, page 15

The beauty and completeness of a wild apple tree living its own life in the woods is heartily acknowledged by all those who have been so happy as to form its acquaintance. The fine wild piquancy of its fruit is unrivaled, but in the great question of quantity as human food wild apples are found wanting. Man, therefore, takes the tree from the woods, manures and prunes and grafts,plans and guesses, adds a little of this and that, selects and rejects, until apples of every conceivable size and softness are produced, like nut galls in response to the irritating punctures of insects. Orchard apples are to me the most eloquent words that culture had ever spoken, but they reflect no imperfection upon Nature's spicy crab.

Summary

This quote highlights the appreciation and admiration for the beauty and taste of wild apple trees in their natural state. Though wild apples possess a unique and unmatched flavor, they lack the quantity necessary to serve as a substantial source of human food. In response, humans intervene, transplanting the tree to orchards where they manipulate and cultivate it, experimenting with different techniques to ultimately produce apples of various sizes and textures through selective breeding. The author expresses deep reverence for orchard apples, considering them as eloquent expressions of human cultivation. However, this appreciation does not belittle the inherent perfection found in Nature's wild and spicy crab apples.