CHAPTER X 
SAND, OR HAIRY VETCH 
reputation of being one of the poorest in the county. 
It had been kicked and buffeted about as trading 
stock. Each owner no sooner got into possession of it 
when he found he had purchased a “ gold brick,” and 
never rested until he succeeded in unloading it upon 
some other victim. It never seemed to occur to any of 
its owners that the farm had simply been handled by 
soil robbers and was paying the penalty by withdrawing 
its bounty. 
The author purchased this farm because of its cheap- 
ness, location and possibilities, and was given the laugh 
for so doing. 
The character of the soil and lay of the land is pe- 
culiar. One-third consists of deep yellow sand, placed 
in ridges, no portion of any extent being level. One- 
third is level, sandy loam and the other third black Wa- 
bash bottom land. 
The entire farm in its early history was covered with 
large walnut, poplar, oak and other timber, the timber 
on the sandy land having been as heavy as on the other 
portion of the farm. The land was a portion of an 
Indian reserve, set apart by the government to the In- 
95 
if 1906 the author purchased a farm that had the 
