Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-03-02


GrumRet.
a'It's a better place for them than
on the surface, isn't it!" returned
Walton with smile.
perhaps. But what on earth are
ye doin' it for?"
"Why, Pm going to see if under
draining wont improve the land"
"Under-drdiHing! What's thatI"
cit is simply drawing of the wa
ter from the surface. This land is
cold and wet; but IL can get the
water to drain off among these
rocks, the sun may warm the sur
face, and give me a good piece Of
soil here"
But il looked very foolish to Ben
Grummet. He believed that what
was the natur of the soil couldn't be
altered"
''Thats a GURUS contrivance,"
said Sam Bancroft. He and Ben
Grummet had been at work for
Walton hauling muck. He alluded
TO large vat at the back of the
house, into which ran a spout from
the sink. This vat was capable of
holding several csrt-loads of stuff,
and was about slalf full.
That's q compost vat,n explain
| ed Walton, who had overheard the
remark. "All the Slops from the
house-the soapsuds, and such stuff
which most people waste, save
/ by this means, and turn to good ac-
count; and, instead Of throwing A.
way refuse matter, put ii In here,
and let il rot and ferment, and make
manure"
"But what's this charcoal dust
for?"
at answers two purposes, though
by only one office. Ii takes up the
ammonia and other volatile matter,
thus holding them for fertilizing
agents, and at the same time pre-
vents the disagreeable ef1uvia which
would otherwise arise from such
I fermenting mass"
"That all sounds very well, re-
marked Ben, after walton had left
them; but let me tell you, il don't
payi He'd better let such fandan-
| giles alone, If he ever expects to make
livin' At farmin'.D
Before the ground froZe out, Wal
ton threw out most Of the muck be-
| hind his stable, which had become
well saturated, and filed the trench
up anew
1 lie Olu nAl u kNEAL
apple-trees, and made great deal OF
| cider; but the fruit was of an infe-
rior quality. When spring came,
/ Walton went TO some of his neigh
bors, and asked them to 20 in with
him and send for some good cions
to engraft upon their apple-tress.-
He exI lained to them Just the plan
he had formed fer his own orchard.
He had engaged q competent man TO
come and do the work OF grating,
and, while they were about il, IL
would be cheaper TO get gratis
enough for the whole neighborhood.
IL was Of no use. The old orch
ards were Just such as their fathers
had, and were good enough. So
Walton went at it alone. He had
his trees ali pruned and dressed, and
nearly all of them GRATED to such
fruit as he thought would thrive. and
sell best.
A little while later, and Ben
Grummet had occasion to open his
eyes. He found that John Walton
had contrived to have one hundred
and forty full loads of manure, all Of
which had been made within the
year. However, he finally shook
his head, and said, ''Weit; Wen
see If it's good for anything"
A little while later, and the grass
began TO spring mp on the twenty
acre lot as it had never sprung up
before The two acres, which had
been plowed and narrowed up light
and fine, bore the best crop of corn
that was grown in the whole coun-
ty, and all the manure put upon it
was some that had been manufac-
tured.
And so the time went on, and
John Walton was continually study
ing how to improve his farm. At
the expiration of a few years the
new cions had grown large and
strong in his orchard, and began to
bear. He had taken care of his trees,
and they were about TO retnrn him
interest for the labor.
HGood graciousw calculated Eben
Sawyer as Ben Grummet and Sam
Bancroft came into his house one
cool autumn evening, and the three
filed their mugs with new cider;
shave you heard about John Wal
toms apples9"
81 knew there was man up to
look at 'em," returned Ben, "but 1
amt heard no more"
"Well, was there, and heerd the
whole ont, so / know. / never
would have thought il. An orch
ard turn out like thatl"
''But how much was it,"
"Why, Walton was Ohered-cash
right down-five hundred dollars
for the apples he's got on hand; and
he tells me he sent nearly three hun
dred dollars worth of early fruit of
a month or so ago."
1t was wonderful-more than won
derful. But they had to believe it.
"And look at that twenty-acre-
field" said Bancroft. "Ten years
ago it wouldn't hardly pay for NOW
in; now look at il. Think o. the
corn and wheat he's gained there;
and this year he cut more'n forty
tons of good hay from it."
"But that amt half" interpoEed
Sawyer. "Look at the stock he
keeps, and see what prices he gets
for his COWS and oXenl Why, he
tells me he's cleared over two thou
sand dollars this year on his stockl'
At this moment, Mr.. Walton
came in. He had grown older and
was somewhat stouter than when
he first became a farmer, and his
neighbors had ceased 10 question
his capacity, and had come TO honor
and respect him.
''We was talkin' about you, Mr..
Walton" said Sawyer.
"Ahl" returned John, as he took
4 seat by the fire. 81 hope you
found nothing bad TO say of me-"
''Not bit of il. We was talkin'
about the wonderful Improvements
you've made on the old place, and of
: the money you make"
ful?'
"But amt it?''
"Well," replied Walton, 'I don't
know about that. But I'll tell you
! what / do know: the re is no class OF
!. people in the word who may study
! the arts and sciences to better ad-
vantage than the farmers; and yet,
am sorry to say, there is no class,
as q class, occupying the same So
cial position, who read and study
: less. There are many honorable ex-
> ceptions, of course Farming is a
science-one of the most deep and
intricate-and he must be a man OF
) more than ordinary capacity who
can master il all. But farmers must
not be afraid of books; they won't,
IL they are wise, follow every ad-
vice which experimentalists give,
but they may study, and reason, and
experiment for themselves. So ]
have done, and so / mean to do"
'fHe's right" remarked Ben Grum-
A, met, after Walton had gone. "Whai
a 1 fon1a rrvaa that wa 1f1u1f oro nj n