Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-09-22
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.s. II wonder If Uncle Frank would know he
"lll ask him. the next time ! WRITE" his mother
But when the answer it proved that Uncle
Frank knew nothing whatever about dry farming.
He could only guess that it must mean farming
without water, which was Of course quite absurd;
and meanwhile Joel's inquiries among the neigh
bors had met with no better success.
About two weeks after his talk with Or. Cam
stranger called at Joels house. His costume
was dark gray ki,ickerbockcr suit and lessins.
seem to protrude like those Of some great insect,
and the resemblance was heightened by his large
head and slight. wry figure He was canyassng
for book and, because strangers rare, he
made welcome and sat for twenty minutes discourse
ing upon the merits of his volume. The decision
that it best for them to buy he received with
a quite surprising good grace and forthwith rose
to So; ...n. - ,,u. ,... n-...x had x.,r Co.
descended the steps.
cts lack Of rain," said Joel.
How much have you had:
"None to speak Of since May
The stranger took out ttle note book and
consulted it,
said.
Joel made reply.
of w wse ns s ens sh. " 9 n s'h :
t doesn't look as ii you'd get ten. You haven't
used the rain: you've wasted it."
have retortcd angrily. After his months of unre-
hitting labor. it was not pleasant to find himself
bs Ss he dh5 9 be akeS
The stranger replied by putting another ques-
ton in quick nervous tone;
Dd ABOUT t[abs to the De-
"No;" answered Joel Len Stewart said it
hoe1"
mo"
Ever visit one of their model farms1"
" "Youye hired mann"
do you use a b-soil packer1"
DRY farming"
And then Of sudden Joel fell upon that book
agent and seized him, as if he feared that he might
take to his heels and escape down the road
"See here" he exclaimed. what is dry farm
ing? I've been trying for months to find out"
They sat down the steps and talked. After
while they and walked about from part of
the farm to another, inspecting and discussing it,
needing the time, while the sun sank lower and
lower in the western sky.
where did you find out all ths'" asked Joel, as
the twilight began to close about them. who are
you, anyhow
. I'm sort Of mssionaryT;in disguise" answered
the stranger. Il teach at Wapahoe. This is
ton time and SO I'm trampiing the country and SELL
ing books to pay expenses
Come; in. and have some supper" said Joel.
Eldredge Brewster accepted the invitation and
stayed the night Every moment that was not spent
in sleep was spent in earnest conversation and
when he left next morning, Joel walked with him
down the dusty road mile
"Ill send you the books and the tool catalogues"
said his new found friend, at parting You want
to the college and see one Of our model farms II
ever you get stuck write to me and III come or
send some one, but in the MAN, all you need is to
remember Jew simple things. There's rain enough,
this section has always had rain enough If only it is
kept from running off the surface and evaporating.
To save it you must keep your sub-sol packed and
xii HPyi in
the spring. as soon as the ground is dry enough to
let 20" on it foley your plowS with the sub-soil
rain, Save the water, don't let it get away from
YOU that's the secret of the whole thing. Keep
have the money to skip crop that year, and give
your time and energy to getting your soil into the
right condition, there isn't reason in the world
why. after that you shouldn't have good crops every
year You won't need to depend on the weather.
The work will be hard and steady, dry farming was
never intented for lazy man. .-ut you and your
hired man will be able to do it, with perhaps another
horse 1t is the results you are aftcr, and when YOU
come to Try it, you will find that you use less seed
even in the best years Of course the irrigation
ditch would help even a dry farmer, but, as you
say. you won't get that for some years yet"
They shook hands and Eldredge Brewster set
OF down the road. Then, when he had gone a half
dozen rods, he turned and came back.
ont J ~ th one Ting he sad don be talked
funny, the way the old line farmers stick t. the
notion that methods which were good in Illinois.
and never stop to consider that there they had twice
the fain fall I've talked to such men. and men who
knew ten times what do about dry farming have
talked, and lectured to them, and shown them re-
suits, and still they keep on in the same old wa,
year after and fail The hope Of the country :
out t" c" IT. % pay III. sye ths up or be talked
you do as say, you won't fail Good-bye' '' "
And this time he really gone
Joel set to work as soon as the booLs cam.
reading them evenings and at odd moments. His
1 1 ,9'nea h'm IN the study and later after their