The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-08-10
LOUIS O. O0wAN,
VOLUME XVI.

; flll this trench up Win SOou uuch, anu tnue
save the liquids which have heretofore been
lost think, by proper management, can
get full double the quantity Of manure which
, others have got in this place"
"Do ye?" said Grummet, sarcastically.
: "Ycs," resumed the young man. 1t Is
Z fact that the liquid manures, could they be
saved, would fully equal the solids, both in
bulk and in value and when combined with
well rotted muck, and some other articles
which shall take up and retain all the more
volatile parts, feel sure that they will af-
ford more fertalizing powers and properties
than the solid manures can."
"Yeou don't say 50! Whero dye larn
all that?"
"Partly from reading, and partly from OBJ
scryatiou," answered John, smiling at MS
good neighbor's open sarcasm.
81 don't suppose it costs anything 10 ~
all this?"
40, yes, it will cost me considerable be-
fore get through" N,
.Yaas. I should rather calkilate 'twould.
Ben Grummet spoke this very slowly ana
with a great deal of meaning, and when ne
had looked ON few minutes longer, nc went
away.
Il swami he cried, as he met Sawyer
shortly afterwards, John Walton is q reg lar
hifalutin. He's jes' about US nigh to bein'
crazy Us a man can be-
'Eh crazy, Benz
sO-I don't mean rally upset, like them
folks what has to be sent to the insane asy-
lum; but he has got his head full of all
sorts of nonsense. He's got his tie-up floor
all torn away. and trench dug there big
enough to hold mOre'n twenty cart loads OF
dirt
But what in natur's he goin' to do?'
'Why-hes going to save the liquids, as
he calls 'em! An he's goin' to put in some-
thin to take up the-the-yOl-yoluntary
parts
Voluntary parts? what's them, Benz
,It was vol somethin'. But don't know
I wouldn't ask him. s'posc he jest used
tho outlandish word 80 as to get me to ask
him what il meant-an' then he'd show of
his arnin'. But want 40 green
Il wonder il he thinks he's comm hero
to larn us old farmers how to workT said
Sawyer, rather Indignantly.
Il Guess he thinks so,' returned Grum-
met.
Then guess he'll find out his mistake,
added the other. Just you mark my words,
Ben; he'll be fat on his buck before two
years is out
Autumn came, and after John Walton had
moved over the twenty acre field, getting
hardly hay enough to pay for the labor. he
set men at work digging deep trenches all
over il. lie had two dug lensthwise, run
ming up and down the slope, and then no
dug quite number running across these.
They wero quite deep and broad, and into
them he tumbled nearly all the stones that
could be found in the fields.
"a pooty expensive way Of gsttia' rid OF
rocks, remarked Grummet.
Its better place for 'cm than on the
surface, isn't itg returned Walton with
smile.
'Mcbbo. But what on earth arc you do
in il fOr?'
.Why-I am going to SOC IL under-drain.
Ing won't improve the land.
Understanding What's thatV
1T is simply drawing oil the water IRON
the surface. This land is cold and wet but
il can get the water TO dnlin oil among
these rocks, the sun may warm the surface,
and give me a good piece OF soil here"
Bnt it looked very foolish to Ben Brummet
He believed that what was the nature of
the soil couldn't DO altered However, the
youug man made his trenches-tumblcd IN
the rScks-illed in on the top with the loan
he had originally removed; and then lett it
to work for itself n while. a month later
he plowcd up two acres OF it, and he could
see that the soil had already changed won-
derfully.
The old settlers upon the ridge had set
out great many apple trees, and made a
great deal Of cid r.; but the fruit was most
ly wild, and Of an inferior quality. When
spring came, Walton went to some Of his
ncirhbors and asked them to 90 in with him
and send for some good scions to .engraft up
ON their apple trees. lie explained to them
lust the plan he had formed for his own orch
ard. He had engaged competent man to
come and do the work Of graiting, aud while
they were about il. il would becheaper to get
gratis enough for the whole neishborhood.
How much will it cost your asked Saw
yer.
.why,' returned Walton, I'm going into
mine pretty thoroughly. My orchard is a
very large one, rs is yours; ana the trees
are mostly thrifty and yigorcus-or coul be
made so-but with very poor iruit. | mean
to makea thorough thing of it, and shall
probably expcnd hundred dollars this
spring
.What! q hundred dollars i'm your
orchardy
Yes
'Jcwhitaker an broomsticks When
get money to play with, I'll try it,
u IL was of no use. The old orchards were
Just such as their fathers had, and they were
good enough. So Walton went at Il alone.
lie had his trees all pruned and dressed, and
nealy all Of them grated to such fruit as he
thought would thrive to the best advantage.
A little while later, and Ben Grummet had
occasion 10 open his eyes. He found that
John Walton had contrivcd 10 have hun
drcd and forty full loads Of manure, all of
which had been made within the year. How
ever, he finally shook his had and said /:
: Wait, and we shall sc IL it is good forany-
thing
A little while later, and thegras began to
spring up on the twenty-five acre lot Us 1t
had never sprang up before. The two acres
which had been plowed, narrowed up light,
and tine, and bore the best crop OF corn that
was raised on the whole ridge; and all the
manure put upon II was some which had
been manufactured.
And 50 the time went on, and John Wal
! ton was continually studying how 10 improve
nus iarm. AT the expiration Of lew years
,ne new se'Ons had grown large and strong
J IN ms orchard and began TO bear fruit. lie
had taken good taro Of his trees, and they
, were about ready ~ return him interest for
his labor. =
Good gracious " calculated Eben SAWYER,
rs Ben Grummet and Sam Bancroft came in.
|, to his house onecool autumn evening, and the
three filed their mugs with new cider, have
You heard about John waltOn's applssy