lack of water in a dry season. In
case of drought (and every summer brings one of greater or less
duration) water must be on hand, and as a drought usually is
accompanied by windless weather, the windmill could not be depended
upon. An engine was obviously necessary. Both gasoline and kerosene
engines were closely investigated, with the result that a kerosene
oil engine was decided upon. (The new style of heavy oil engine is
better and cheaper to run. Ed.) An advantage of the engine over a
windmill is that it will furnish power for cutting wood, grinding
grain, or lighting the buildings, a two and one half horsepower
engine running twenty-five 16 c.p. lights easily.

The rye was turned under green in the spring to furnish humus, the
greatest and only vital need of this particular spot of virgin soil.

Since that was written an excellent and cheap stump puller has been
introduced, but the account of work is still typical. Dynamiting is
still the modern way to clear land as well as to break up a stiff
subsoil or hardpan, so as to loosen the earth to let deep roots like
trees or alfalfa go down and to secure drainage.

Primitive American man regarded trees as "lumber" instead of as
timber and still destroys countless millions in valuable wood as he
"clears the ground."

After it is cleared, it is vital to keep it cleared of weeds, which
worse garroters of crops than trees. To do that we don't need to bow
to the Earth, nor to hammer her with a hand hoe.

"The Man with the Hoe" began to be a back number when Arkwright
invented the ark or the mule or whatever he did invent. The man with
the wheel hoe is the man that is "It." A wheel hoe costs from $6 to
$12, and will do the work of several men without breaking the heart
or even the back of one of them. It has as many attachments as a
summer girl and is equally versatile. It must be run between the
rows as soon as the ground is dry after every rain, so as to slay
the weeds before they are born. If you don't they will slay your
profits, if not yourself.

Crops grown on that experimental farm are: Asparagus, berries,
beans, beets, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, carrots, cucumbers,
corn, eggplant, endive, fruit trees, kale, kohlrabi, lettuce, limes,
melons, martynias, onions, okra, parsley, parsnips, peas, potatoes
(sweet and white), pumpkins, radishes, rhubarb, salsify, squash,
tomatoes, etc. Marketed strictly choice radishes May 18, peas June
10, lettuce June 21, beans