American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-03-08
CHAPTER vi.
Some Close Figuring.


corn acre: For leaves, 40 cents,
having hired Abe Lincoln for
- two days on that work, but the
other day was charged to the cotton,
which was not a 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 it. The break
ing Of the acre cost 50; seed rye, SO;
turning 1t under. 81; a hundred pounds
Of commercial fertilizer. $1.50; 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 vas
constantly now. Abe had got inter
ested.
you know, Mister joe said Abe
Lincoln one day. "whut's de matter
wild US niggers is. we don know moth
In, en- eff we does know we's too lazy
to do muffin wild hit"
Lots of white folks in the same fix"
answered Joe.
"Yasser. l knows dat. but | been fig
germ on all dis yer doin's. an made
de chilen at home help me tote leaves
an trash, an fertilizer from de stable
an COW lot. en- l got me er acre too.
l specs ter have somethin' some er
desc days merse'f."
That's exactly what | am going &c
do. Link. and If | 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 OF
your acre, Linkf'
"Well, sub, rs a plumb fool erbau
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 rici
gravy ter sop 'em in. Man, rs gwtni
ter try ter eat up dat whole acre e.
taters merse'ftT
you'll nave quite a job. You ough
to follow the potatoes with turnipi
this fall"
"Yasser. l is-en er good patch e
collards too. Den next year dat grour
gwine ter make a bale er cotton shO'!
The acre of cotton was planted a da,
or so after the corn. Then began th
rush to get the snap beans to market
Thirty bushels at S1.40, with an ex
pense of S12 for picking, Grating, haul
ing and commissions, left a profit o
$50. This added to the amOunt receive
brought the total on the sweet potatl
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 a nicer
fresher or more desirable lot of vegt
tables.
Joe exhibited the bank book to ht
father with a good deal Of pride.
well, by gum. Joe, half of that
yourn, amt itT'
YES, sir; I've cleared 5000 as m,
part of that acre. and we will get
good crop of potatoes OF it too
why, my gracious, you've mao
more money off that acre of truck tina
an acre of cotton brings around here
yes, more'n three times as muchT'
The pea vines were pulled up, the IT
mains OF the radishes and the beai
vines were fed to the pigs. which wer
thriving wonderfully in 8 large DIR
pen built by Mr.. Weston.
The vegetable rows were then plowe
up and bedded into rows Eve feet apar
Joe had bought a bushel of the rio
yellow yams-'pumpkin yams" the
were called-earlier IL the season an
bedded them in a dry, warm place {
sDrOut. He took the gnrOuts Oft as the
showed above the ground and got thre
rows.
In a few weeks they commenced
make vines and cover the spaces b
tween the rows. One cloudy day whe
IL looked ike rain Joe and Link bega
TO cut the vines into two foot lengths
then. placing the ends together. Il
cuttings were doubled into the groun
about six inches deep. and the remail
der Of the acre was planted A gent
rain fell all that night. and in a fe'
days roots sprang from every leaf joil
beneath the soil. and the acre We
planted without further cost for seed
About May 10 Joe went over his col
with a hoe and pulled from each hi
the two weakest stalks. A hard rai
packed the soil a few days later an
~necessitated another working to brea
the crust
Then Joe AMI Link had to chop on
the cotton. The seed was plants
thickly 10 insure a stand" and Il
object OF the chopping out was to T
nTREITNS IN TRADE.