258 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The farm, with its dilapidated buildings, cost nineteen 

 hundred and fifty dollars. The place had been so neglected 

 for twenty-five years, that its appearance was not only for- 

 bidding, but seemed a reason for letting it alone. 



The first year of my ownership was so full of dread and 

 dislike of the undertaking, that I continued my trade, and 

 let the place to a Frenchman at the halves. It was a good 

 bargain for him, as he made sure of his half, and divided the 

 other half with me. He was farming at three-fourths, and 

 I at one-fourth. 



The succeeding year, 1860, I took command in the field; 

 though I continued my trade in the city, and consequently 

 was obliged to hire all the real work done on the place by 

 common farm-hands, who, of course, worked for their pay, 

 rather than for my success. 



My early life had taught me nothing of any value in farm- 

 work ; and, since the date of the purchase, it had been my 

 theme of conversation and study to decide how to begin 

 and go ahead with the scraggy place I had bought. 



I had been told by my acquaintances that farming did not 

 pay. I opened a series of accounts with different crops, to 

 which I shall refer. 



A dozen or more acres of land were so surrounded by 

 knolls, that water stood nearly all the year a foot deep 

 about the thick growth of alders, and made this tract use- 

 less. I saw at once the advantage of redeeming it, because 

 of its convenience, its high and sunny location, and the 

 generally favorable conditions that could be secured for it at 

 small cost. 



To drain off the water was my first move ; and it had to 

 be done with pick and shovel, a distance of fifty rods, and at 

 a depth of three feet. This open drain was made the first 

 season, and then the piece was used for pasture for several 

 years. The larger trees were cleared from the place by the 

 process of cutting off the roots some two feet from the 

 trunks, and hitching the chain high in the tree to obtain a 

 leverage. After being pulled over, the plan was to clear the 

 dirt from the roots, saw off the stumps, and haul into piles 

 to be burned ; the trees being cut into firewood. To remove 

 the alders, I devised a sort of grappling-iron, made of one 

 and one-fourth inch round iron, shaped' so that the greater 



