Warren sheaf., 1916-03-15
JOE ] E
THE BOOK FARMER
" MAKING GOOD "
ON THE LAND
By
GARRARD HARRIS
COPYRIGHT, 1913,
COPYRIGHT, 1913,
BY HARPER g. BROTHERS.
CHAPTER XIII.
Mr.. RaIston Grateful.

Mr.. RaIston Grateful.
IN 1REAKFAST at the Ralston
k t"n home was was over; ,eG and Nd Joe s.,s IVES,
~ We're on the front porch. where
Joe was preparing to take his leave.
"Well, we've had a mighty good
time, Mr.. Ralston. but work time has
come. No more frolicking until the
crops are laid BY" said Joe.
"What's laid by?" inquired Tom,
anxious to obtain information from his
tutor.
Laid aside, done with-worked and
tended enough-nothing to do except
wait for Nature to mature 'em." an
swered Joe. "That is in late summer
From then until fall there is not much
to do except haying or pulling fodder"
"Look here, Joe. Anything can do
to help you?". inquired Mr.. Ralston.
you've showed me more fun than l
ever had before Can't l make some
return?'' ..*
'Not a thing, Mr.. Ralston, unless
you'll sell me that fertilizer down in
the COW lot and stable yard. There's
about fifty wagon loads Of it, l guess,
and need barnyard stuff mightily.'
whats it worth, Joe?"
"Scraped up and ready to load, l
guess it's worth 80 cents two horse
wagon load. 1t could be better be-
cause it's been exposed to the rain
and lost lots of strength, but it is bet
ter than nothing
'How are you going to use it?" asked
Tom.
"On those four acres I have been U.s.
ing for prize corn and truck III
spread it on the oats, then turn it un-
der"
Fifty loads isn't much for four
acres, Joe,' suggested the major, who
had come out on the porch and heard
the talk
"It's twelve and a half loads to the
acre. That's heap better than none
I've got about twenty-five loads at
home of compost of rotten leaves
and stable scrapings, full strength and
saved under shelter. I'll use that too."
'Tell you what" said Mr. Ralston;
that stable and COW lot of mine need
good cleaning, anyway. I don't cal
culate to do any farming much this
year-there isn't enough there to do
any material good on my place here
I'll just have the lot boys scrape that
stuff In piles, and you can have it if
you will haul it off,
"Oh, say, now-that's mighty fine of
you, Mr.. Ralston!' exclaimed Joe CRATE
fully. 1T will be big help to me,
because I'm needing stuff like that. I'm
trying to cut the cost, and you've saved
me just about SIS in expense"
"By George. I'll do better than that,
then. I'll make the lot boy haul it over
there for you. l want to see you win
the prize this YEAR,
Joe Weston looked doubtful. 1t was
a great temptation. for he had to
charge in all his time expended on the
acre ut 8 cents an hour and the use of
two horse team and wagon at So a
day. those being the rules of the con-
test. Then his way suddenly appeared
clear.
Much obliged. Mr.. Ralston, but l
don't believe it would be just exactly
right. mean it would be actually
helping me-that wouldn't appear on
the record. 1t would give me a little
advantage over the others competing,
and think l ought not to take it,
II guess you are right, Joe. Fight
it out on the square, and in case of
doubt let the other fellow take the du-
bious chance. That will win, any
way" said Mr.. Ralston. The major
nodded approval Il
'I'll do that very thing, SIR" re-
sponded Joe quietly.
Seems to me it would be entirely
proper for you to take the stuff from
me as gift if I want to get it off my
premises to get my lots clean. What
do you think, major?"
mo objection in the world to that.
1t is just case of where Joe is more
fortunate than others in obtaining it,
but he ought to haul it himself, l
think" ill.,
That's the way l look at it," said
Joe.
'All right, I'll start those two darkies
today to scraping it up in piles, and
you can commence hauling when you
are ready" said Mr.. Ralston.
"I'll begin tomorrow soon after day
light
"Oh, here now! That's too early!'
objected Tom, who was to make his
first actual trial of farm work when |
Joe started.
mo, sirree-not when you are pay
ing So day for a team and fighting |
every cent of expense. Day begins at |
daylight and ends at dark. I'll get |
fifteen loads a day hauled-maybe
more.'
want me to help?" Tom was hope
ful that Joe would refuse
IF you are going into this thing
sure enough to learn you better get a
shovel and be on hand when I come
oyer for the first load" answered Joe, !, ,