Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-12-01
CHAPTER v.

horse pillow himself, but two
horse turning pillow was bit
" beyond his strength.
He made Il trade with his father,
therefore. who agreed to turn the rye
under for >3 on the three acres. Bess
and Badly. the horses. had been great
ly improved by grazing upon the
strength giving green food and looked
almost like different animals.
The third week in January was
bright and dry. so after the rye he'd
been turned under Joe borrowed the
harrow and one horse and smoothed
the three acres again himself. thus
making it fine and level and covering
some Of the rye that showed in the fur
rows left by the plow. The acre of
oats was not disturbed. and John L.
and Mike, the Sullivan pigs. were left
in the field to Craze upon it.
Saturday morning Mr.. Weston hitch
ed up the wagon to 60 to town. and
Joe went with him.
''Well. partner, how's everything
coming along?" inquired Mr.. Somer-
vile, shaking hands cordially.
"All right, sir. Got the ground in
fine shape now. and mighty pretty
stand Of OATS
farmer now, Tom?" inquired Mr. Som
erville. with a sly wink Mr.. Weston
looked embarrassed for moment.
think enough of him to foller him
some," he said. 1--WE put in four acres
of oats and one of rye Id never "a
thought Of plantin' until seen him do
1t. Then I've plowed deep five acres
also an bedded it up for corn an cot
ton, only amt put no leaves in it or
fertilizer. l want to see if there's any
thing to all this"
Nov, that's the talk. If there is
you are considerably ahead. and If
there isn't you haven't lost anything
but some time
THAT'S the way figgered it,
Joe. I'm about ready to order the
cotton seed and the seed corn,' said
Mr.. Somerville.
"Now. that's another thing" said
Tom Weston. Il wanted to see if you'd
order the same sort for me you an Joe
plant. Pears to me the corn We raise
around here oughter have two ears on
hit Std of one. The stalks there, an
hit amt no more trouble to have an
other ear on hit an get twicet as much
corn?" Joe and Mr.. Somerville ex-
changed brief smiles
"Why, Tom. you are getting to be a
sort Of book farmer YOURSELF
'That amt no book farmin'. That's
Just boss sense"
THAT is all book farming is, just the
latest and newest and most reliable
common sense, only it is just more
common sense than most of us have
thought of, that's ALL
What cotton have you selected, Mr..
Somerville?" asked Joe.
"A sort the government has tested
on ten experiment farms in this lati-
tude for the last four years. 1t aver
ages three weeks ahead Of anything we
have, and the staple, or fiber, of the
cotton is over an inch long. 1t is said
to be very heavy bearer also. 1t
ought to bring fine price if kept free
of dirt and trash and STAIN"
All right. sir. That's the kind we
want
lies order me enough of that, too,
SOS l can plant three acres, will you?''
asked Tom Weston.
Glad to do it, Tom. The price is a
bit steep, though"
Don't care what the price is. If it
makes cotton like you say it does can
we'll afford to buy it. and I'll sell the
seed myself next fall to folks around
here. 1t beats any cotton ever growed
around this country"
"Very we'll. I'll order enough for
you. And. Joe. I've got corn that
will make two ears to the stalk GER
tain: the grower says"
I'm going to breed me a three and
four ear variety" said Joe.
you're a-goin' to do what?" inquired
his father sarcastically.
Breed a three and four ear variety"
Tom Weston laughed. Folks breed
cattle an SIGH, but never heered moth.
in Of 'breedin'' corn" he said
How do you suppose this two ear
variety we are going to plant got start
ed, then, TOMB" inquired Mr.. Somer-
vile.
"Why--why-er-it is-er-its jest
that sort of corn," he f1oundered.
certainly it is, but why did it hap
pen to be that sort?"
"Well, I'm blamed If know, to tell
the truth about it,
IF you'd read some of Joe's books
vOu'd find ont LOT Of things Won don't
know. Now tell your dad, Joe. how
you are going to breed three ear
corn"
Joe was embarrassed. but plunged
bravely in.
1T takes several years to do it
daddy. Now, this seed corn we are get
ting Is fixed at two ears to the stalk
we can depend on that much. If we
give it all the plant food it can take
some Of 1t is going to show three ears
but the third ears are not going to be
much more than nubbins.''
"Well. don't see no advantage in
them nubbins."
'Yes. sir: nubbins are good to feed
hogs on. But If we 60 through tina,
field and pick out the best stalks with
three ears on them and then pick the
most perfect ears from the lot and
=. plant the seed from them next year
the nubbins will be bigger and more OF
them on an average, and maybe some
of the stalks will show-show''-
Parliamentary ears" said Mr. Somer
vile.