Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1915-12-08

az 0OOu - oO SA1IAu6l619I4C Do JOCs
conversion pleases Mr.. somerville.
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CHAPTER VI.
Some Close Figuring.
TlH US far Joe had spent on the
corn acre: For leaves, 40 cents,
Ill having hired Abe Lincoln for
~ two days on that work, but the
other day was charged to the cotton,
which was not contest crop: work
scraping fertilizer from the lot, 40
cents. His father did not charge him
for the fertilizer, offsetting the graz
ing of the horses on the rye and some
work Joe did against 1t. The break
ing Of the acre cost 81: seed rye, 50:
turning It under. 81; a hundred pounds
Of commercial fertilizer, $3.50; seed
corn, 81; total, $3.50.
As the rest of the four acres was not
In competition Joe hired Abe Lincoln
whenever he needed him, which was
constantly now. Abe had got inter-
ested.
you know, Mister Joe," said Abe
Lincoln one day, "whut's de matter
wid Us niggers Is, we dom know moth
In, en- ef we does know ives too lazy
to do muffin wild hit"
Lots of white folks in the same FIX"
answered Joe.
'Yasser, knows dat, but l been fig,
germ on all dis yer doin's, an l made
dc chil'en at home help me tote leaves
an trash, an fertilizer from de stable
an cow lot en- got me er acre too.
I specs ter have somethin' some er
desc days merse'f."
That's exactly what am going to
do, Link, and If I can help you in any
way
"Oh, you helps me by hirin' me.
goes home an does whut you does"
what are you going to plant on
your acre, Link?"
well, sub, rs a plumb fool erbaut
sweet taters, desc yer sweet, honey.
like yaller ones dat jes' melts in 20
mouf wen dey's cooked wild er nice
fat possum, an plenty er dat rich
gravy ter sop 'em in. Man, Is gwine
ter try ter eat up dat whole acre er
taters merse'fv'
"You'll have quite job. You ought
to follow the potatoes with turnips
this fall.''
"Yasser, l is-en er good patch er
collards too. Den next year dat groun'
gwine ter make bale er cotton sho'!'
The acre of cotton was planted day
or 50 after the corn. Then began the
rush to get the snap beans to market.
Thirty bushels at $1.4O, with an ex-
pense Of $12 for picking, Grating, haul
ing and commissions, left profit of
$50. This added to the amount received
brought the total on the sweet potato
acre up to $161, and the commission
merchant wrote to Mr.. Somerville de-
string to handle the next years crop.
saying that he had never had nicer,
fresher or more desirable lot of vege-
tables.
Joe exhibited the bank book to his
father with good deal of pride.
well, by gum. Joe, half Of that's
yourn, amt it?'
Yes, sir; I've cleared 5000 as my
part Of that acre, and we will get a
good crop of potatoes off it too.''
why. my gracious, you've made
more money of that acre of truck than
an acre of cotton brings around here
yes, more'n three times as muchr'
The pea vines were pulled up, the re-
mains Of the radishes and the bean
vines were fed to the pigs, which were
thriving wonderfully in q large dry
pen built by Mr.: Weston.
The vegetable rows were then plowed
up and bedded into rows five feet apart.
Joe had bought bushel Of the rich
yellow yams-"pumpkin yams" they
were called-earlier in the season and
bedded them in dry, warm place to
sprout. he took the sprouts of as they
showed above the ground and got three
rows.
In few weeks they commenced to
make vines and cover the spaces be-
tween the rows. One cloudy day when
1t looked like rain Joe and Link began
to cut the vines into two foot lengths:
then. placing the ends together, the
cuttings were doubled into the ground
about six inches deep. and the remain
der OF the acre was planted. A gentle
rain fell all that night and in a few
days roots sprang from every leaf Joint
beneath the coil, and the acre was
planted without further cost for seed.
About May 10 Joe went over his corn
with hoe and pulled from each hill
the two weakest stalks. A hard rain
packed the soil few days later and
necessitated another working to break
the crust.
Then Joe and Link had to "chop out"
the cotton. The seed was planted
thickly to insure a stand" and the
object Of the chopping out was to re-
move the surplus plants, leaving one
about every two feet In the row.
AZ soon as this was done the oats
were ready to cut, and the two boys
tackled the job with hand sickles.
twisting few Of the oat stalks about
sch bundle and turning the ends un-