The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1917-04-27

poorest and most rolling two acres Of sand land
on the farm. Ii grew rapidly. and by winter the
ground completely covered with its foil
that washing of the land entirely pre-
vented An examination Of the roots showed them
set thick with nitrogen nodules Early in the
spring, before any other grass vegetation be-
gan to grow. the vetch plants were pushing out
their summer foliage, and by May they were
four feet in length. About the first Of June the
two acres were cut for hay
Seeing that he had found valuable plant for
the farm, Mr. Smith planted % acres to vetch the
next year, the sowing being done on the poorest
and sandiest land Of the farm. 1t decided to
seed 81 Of this land to field corn and leave
the other for pasture The vetch grew luxuri-
antly.
The spring of 1903 was very wet and it
May before the ground in condition to
break for corn. Delays such that the 81
acres reserved for corn were not entirely broken
until May 25 The vetch had grown to a height Of
five feet, and the mass Of vegetation was so heavy
that 1t almost impossible to turn under. A
half dozen makes Of plows were tried with COM
pete failure, when finally success was obtained
with double disk pillow, and the field was finished.
The prospect did not look inviting, for punches
of vetch showed here and there sticking out Of
the ground. The field was worked down to fairly
good condition for planting by dragging and
rolling, and on June 3 and was planted to yellow
Dire were the predictions made to the out
come. Many commended that the heavy mass Of
vegetation would absorb all the moisture from the
ground and the would die. But Mr.. Smith
gritted his teeth held his counsel and awaited
results. The corn came up a splendid stand. Dry
weather set in, which added little discomfort
to the situation. The corn grew slowly, and
1t sufficiently large the cultivators
were set to work, and were worked with little
difficulty account Of punches Of vetch insult
fciently plowed under catching on the cultivator
points.
The neighboring farmers came around, leaned
over the fence, and INDUCED in sarcastic remarks
The gist Of these remarks that they had never
In all their experience unpromising
prospect for corn as this field presented.
The weather dry and the corn grew five
or six inches, and made further growth for
more than q week. At the end of this time 1t
seemed to take on new life, and grew with such
rapidly that even Mr. Smith was astoupded
When the reached waist height the pro-
phets who had predicted its early demise ac-
count Of the great Of vetch turned under
tried another tack: "Wait until 1t begins to ear"
they said "and you will 1t fire and wther up"
But the corn refused to side with these chronic
croakers and grew up and up until 1t reached the
height of eight to ten feet silked, tasseled. and
bore It's ears Of golden corn.
It was subject to six weeks of dry weather
after 1t had slked, and yet 1t had not fired and
every hill was bright and green Across the road
O neighbours corn fired clear above the ears Of
the corn and did not make than 20 bushels
to the acre. But Mr. Smiths corn finally reached
its harvesting stage. sound and solid. 1t was