Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-07-29
NEW SERIES, VOL. XIV. NO. 80.

neiehbor's open sarcasm.
81 don't s'pOse it costs snything to do all
thisy"
.'oh, yes; 1t will cost me considerable bo-
fore get through"
Yes. should think it t'wouldt'
II say" he cried. as he met Sawyer
shortly sfterwsrd. "John Walton q about as
nigh bein' crazy as man can be-"
'.Eh! CRAZY. Benz"
"Oh, he's got his head full of all sorts Of
nonsense. Hes got his stable aoor torn
away, and trench dug there big enough to
hold more'n twenty carloads of dirt"
hut what in natures he goin' to doS"
''Why. he's roin' to save the lisuida, as
he calls 'cm. And he's goin' to put in some.
thing to take up ihe-the- col rolGstdry
parts"
"Eo'n"tayy parts? Whats them. BENZ"
..lt wa- poI snmethin' But don't know.
4 wouldn'r ask him. suppose he Jus, used
the outlandish word so's to get me to ask
him what il msnnt. and then he'd show off
his larnin'. Bur wasn't so green"
Il wonder IL he thinks he's comm here
to larn US old farmers how to work." said
SAWYER quite indignantly.
..fie thinks so," returned Grumme..
''Then he'll find ou, his mi.tuke." added
the other. You mark my words, Ben. he
will be fat on his back sfore two years is
out
And those we're not the only ones who
Innked Tor ;he samo thing. The idea OF
mans Gaming in there with apy such new.
tangled potinns was absurd.
Autumn came and after John Walton had
moved nver his twenty-ac field of
his cnlIe<t and s,ifFest !and-getting hardly
enough hay to pay for the labor. he set the
NJ vrOrk ji,,r,jn,, DEAN fSaO,ha. oil 00cr
it Ilo hsd two dug ,hwisc, running up
and down the slope; and then he dug quite
a number running across these. They we're
qnite deep and broad and into them he tum-
hled nearly all the stones that could be found
in the fields
"A poorly expensive way Of getting rid Of
yonr rocks, remarked Grummet.
Its batter place for them than on the
surface, Isn't it?" returned Walton with n
smile.
Perhaps. But wha. on earth nro ye
doin' st fnrY''
why. I'm going to SEQ ;r undordra;D:pg
won't improve the land
"Underdraining! What's that7"
tits simply drawing OF the water from
the surfaces. This land is cold and wet; but
il can got tho water to drain of among
these rocks, the sun may warm the surface
and give good piece of soil here"
But it looked very foolish to Ben Grum
met. lie believed that "what was the natur
of the soil couldn't be altered"
Chats Gurus contrisance," said Sam
Bancroft. III and Iien Grummet had been
at work FOR yyaTtTn TEu1fng mucs.-fIo az
Inded to a large vat tho back of the house
into which ran q spout from the sink. This
vat was capable of holding several cart. loads
OF stuff. and was about halt.fuIl.
That's a compost vat" explained Wal
ton, who had overheard the remark. "Ail
the slnps from the house-thc sospsuds and
such stuff which most people waste. I save
by this means. aud turn TO good account;
aud, instead OF throwing swoy refuse matter.
| put it in here and let it rot and ferment
and make manure"
"IIut what's this charcoal dust fnr?"
"Is answers two purposes, tho only by one
Office. 1t takes up ths ammonia aud other
volatile matter, thus holding them for fer
tilising agents and at the same time prevents
the disagreeahlc efluvia which would other
wise arise from such fermcnting mass"
''Thst all sounds very WELL" remarked
Ben, after Walton had left them, 'bu'. let
me tell you, it don't psy! He'd better let
such iandangles ulono if ho over expects to
make livin' at farnln'."
Before Ihe ground froze out, Walton
threw out most "e the muck behind his sta.
bic. which had become weil saturated, and
filled the trench up anew.
The old farmers had great many apple
trees. and made great deal of cider; but
the fruit was Of an inferior quality. When
spring came, Walton went to some of his
neiyhbors ami asked them to go in with him
and send for some good scions TO engraft upon
their apple trees. lie explained to them
Jus. the plan he had formed for his own
orchard. lie had engaged a competent man
to come aud do the work of grating. and,
while they we're about it, it would be cheap
er get gratis enough for the whole neigh
borhond.
/. was Of 60 uso The old orchards we're
Just such as their fathers had. and werc good
enough. So Walton went at it alone. lie
had his t.ess all pruned aud dressed. and
nearly all of'them grated tn such fruit as he
Thought would thrive and sell bert.
4 little while later Ben Grummet had nc.
raSinn to open his eyes lie iound that Jno
Waltnn hsd c0ntrived to nIske l0i full loads
of rlanurc, oil of which had been nsde in
the yesr. However, he faallY shook his
head and said; .tWait; we'll see il IFS good
for anything"
Il little while later. and the grass began
90 spring Gp Oh the tWenfy.scre lot as it
had never sprung mp before, the two acres,
which had been pIowed and narrowed up
light and fne, being the best crop of corn
that was grown in the whole county. and all
the manure put upon it was soms that had
been manufactured.
And SO time went on, and John Walton
was continually studying how to improve his
farm. At the expiration of 4 few years tho
new sci"ns had grown large aud strong in
his orchard. and began to bear fruit. lie
had taken care of his trees, aud they 1ere
about to return him interest for the labor.
"Good graciGus!'' ej,cuisied Eben Saw,
rer as Ron Crunr, ~ NJ Gs,, R.nn,nF1 AZ ., a