Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-11-19

ut is simply drawing off the water
from the surface. The land is cold and
wet; but if can get the water to drain OH
among these rocks, the sun may warm the
surface, and give me good piece OF soil
here"
! But it looked very foolish to Ben Grum-
met. He believed that what was the
nature OF the soil could not be altered.
| However, the young man made h1s
trenches--tumbled in the rocks-flled in
on top with the loan he had originally re-
moved and then left it TO work for itself 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 bis way to the muck
swamp and went to hauling out that
article, which he deposited in various
places as he deemed proper.
That's cur us continuance, y said Sam
| Bancroft He and Ben Grummet had
been at work for Walton hauling muck.
He alluded to large vat back Of the
house into which Ian spout from the
sink This vat was capable Of holding
several carloads and was already half
full.
That's compost vat" exclaimed Wal
tor who had overheard the remark. All
! the Stops from the house-the soap-suds
and such stutf-which most people wasted,
! ] save by this means, and turn it to good
| account; and instead of throwing away re-
| fuse matter | put 1t in here and let 1t rot
| and ferment and make manure.
/ That all sounds cry pooty, " remarked
! Ben, after Walton had left them; but let
me jes' tell you, it Cont pay! He'd better
let such fandangles alone if he ever expects
{ to make Twin at farmin''
Before the ground frCze up, Walton
threw out most Of the muck back of his
tie-up, which had become we'll saturated
and filed the trench up Anew. When
spring came Walton went to some Of his
neighbors and asked them to go in With
him and send for some good scions to en-
graft upon their apple trees He explained
to them just the plan he had formed for
his own orchard.
"How much will It cost you," asked
Sawyer.
"Why," returned Walton, I'm going
into it thoroughly. My orchard is d
large one, as yours as; and the trees are
mostly thrifty and vigor0us-or could be
made So but with poor fruit. | mean
to make thorough thing of it, and shall
expend a hundred dollars this spring.
''What! A hundred dollars! In your
orchard?"
Yes
"Jewhiaker an broomsticks! When
git money to play with I'll try it.
A little while latter and the grass began
to spring up on the twenty acre lot as it
never had lpIung up before; and as time
went on JOHN Walton was continually
studying how to improve his farm
Good gracious!" exclaimed Eoen
Sawyer, as Ben Grummet and Sam Ban
croft came into his house one cold autumn
evening, ''bave you herd about John Wal
! tons apples?"
Yes, y returned Ben. Il was, there and
beered the who'd on't-so know never
would ave thought it. An orchard turn
out like thatr' =
and jes' look at the twenty-acre field, :"
said Bancroft Five years ago it
wouldn't hardly pay for mowin 1t
didn't bear much else but podgum. Now
look at it. Think O. the corn an wheat
he raised there; an this year he cut
more n forty tons of good hay from it,
eve was jest talkin' about you, Mr..
Walton" said Sawyer one day, as John
came into his house.
''Ah," returned John, as he took seat
by the FIRE. q hope you found nothing
bad to say to 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 wonderfully
But amt it?''
We'll" replied Walton, 81 don t
know about that; bat I'll tell you what |
do know; know there is no class of peo-
pie in the world who may read and study
to better advantage than farmers. Farm
ing is a science, and be must be man of
more than ordinary capacit, who can mas
ter it all. In short, there is no branch of
industry in the world which may not be
followed to better advantage with a good
education. But farmers must not be afraid
of newspapers and books. They won't, if
they are wise, follow every advice which
experimentalists give, but they may study
and reason and experiment. for them.
selves. So | have done, and so | mean
to do.