The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1890-06-07


wet but with these rocks underlying,
the sun may warm the surface and give
me a good piece of soil here.
But it looked foolish to Ben Grum
met. He believed that "what was the
nature of the soil couldn't be altered.
However, the young man made trenches
-tumbled in the rocks-filied it on
top with the loam he had originally re-
moved, and then left it to work for
itself for a while. A month later he
plowed up two acres of it and he could
see that the soil had already changed
wonderfully. After this was done he
cut his way to the muckswamp and
went to hauling out that article, which
he deposited in various places, as he
deemed proper.
That's a compost vat, exclaimed
Walton who had overheard the remark.
All the Stops from the house-the soap
| suds and such stuff-wkich most peo-
pie wasted, l save by this means, and
turn it to good account and Instead OF
throwing away refuse matter put it in
here and let it rot and ferment, and
make manure.
That all sounds very pooty, remarked
Ben, after Walton had left them; but
let me jes' tell you, i. don't pay He'd
better let sich fandangles alone If he
ever expects to make livin' at farmin'.
Before the ground froze up Walton
threw out most of the muck back of his
tie-up, which had become well saturated,
and filled the trench up anew. When
sprlag came Walton went to some OF
his neighbors and asked them to go in
W h him and send for some good scions
to engraft upon their apple trees. He
explained to them just the plan he had
formed for his own orchard.
How much will 1t cost you? asked
Sawyer?
Why, returned Walton. I'm going |
into it thoroughly. My orchard is
large one, as yours is and the trees are
mostly thrifty and vigorous-or could
be made so-but with poor fruit.
mean to make thorough thing of it,
and shall expend a hundred dollars this
spring.
WhA! A hundred dollars In your
orcharc3
Yes.
Iewhitaker an broomsticks When
| git money to play with, l'l trylt.
A little while later, and the grass be
gan to spring up on the twenty acre lot
as it had never sprung up before and
as time went on John Walton was con-
tlnually studying how to improve his
farm.
Good gracious calculated Eben
Sawyer, as Ben. Grummet and Sam
Bancroft came into his house one cool
autumn evening, have you heard about
John WaIton's apples?
Yes, returned Ben. l was there, and
heard the whole on't-so | know-l
| Jo,,a n
chard turn out like that
And jes' look at that twenty acre
field, said Bancroft. Five years ago
it wouldn't hardly pay for the mowin'.
1t didn't bear much else but prodgum
Now look at 1t. Think of the corn an
wheat he raised there an this year he
cut more'n forty tons of good hay from
1t!
We was jest talkin' about you, Mr..
Walton, said Sawyer one day as John
came into his house.
All, returned John as he took seat
by the fire. l hope you found nothing
bad to say of me.
Not bit of it. We was talkin' about
the wonderful improvement you've
made on the old place and of the money
you make.
And do you think it wonderful
But amt ltP
We'll replied Walton: | don't know
about that but I'll tell you what | do
know know there is no class OF peo-
Die in the world who may read and
study to better advantage than farmers.
Farming is science, and he must be a
man of more than ordinary capacity
who can master it all. In short, there
is no branch of industry in the world
which may not be followed TO better
advantage without a good education.
But farmers must not be afraid of news
papers and books. They won't, if they
are wise, follow every advice which ex
permentaliSts give, but they may study
and reason and experiment for them
J selves. So | have done and so mean
10 do.