for a library.

It is here that I do the most of my reading, writing, and planning; and
although I pretend to be deeply engaged while ensconced in the large
willow rocker, strictly forbidding entrance to my farmer office, yet the
children and "Spot," my Gordon setter, will intrude, making things
lively for awhile, driving my thoughts wool-gathering and breaking many
a thread of thought that I had fondly hoped would place my name high on
the roll of scribblers. It is a good thing to have the little innocent
children and the dog to blame for these shortcomings, as they can not
take issue with us on the question.

But I started to talk about a farmer's library; and taking my own for a
small sample, let us see how it looks.

For the purpose of keeping my papers in order, I have prepared thin
laths of tough wood dressed with the draw knife to a thin edge, the back
being one fourth of an inch thick, leaving the lath one and a quarter
inch broad; these are cut in lengths to suit the paper they are intended
to hold. Take for instance THE PRAIRIE FARMER. I cut the lath just two
inches longer than the paper is long, then cut notches half of an inch
from each end, in which I tie the ends of a cord; this forms a loop to
hang up the file. In this I file each paper so soon as read, by which
means they are never lost or mislaid. When at the end of each three
months the papers are taken from off the file, the oldest number is laid
face down on a broad piece of plank and the number that follows laid
face down on the top of the first, then they are squared evenly and a
strong awl pierces three holes in the back edge through which a strong
twine string is laced and tied firmly; this finishes the job, and the
book thus simply and quickly made is placed on the shelf with its mates.
This done the file is returned to its hook to await the next number.

This is a simple plan for filing papers of any size, and any farmer can
do it, there being no expense or outlay for material. On glancing up
from the stand on which I am writing, the first objects that attract my
notice are my breach loader, cartridge belt, and game-bag hanging on the
wall; then by the side of the stove hangs the file of THE PRAIRIE
FARMER, within easy reach of my left hand; next it swings the
Country Gentleman, then comes the Forest and Stream, then Colman's Rural
World, then the Drainage Journal; next Harper's Weekly, then Harper's
Bazar. This is my wife's paper and she