570 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 1 



over by all three of us. When it held a 

 prett3' g-ood lot of stones I directed we should 

 throw off half of them, and then dump the 

 rest on the stone pile. As it is slow work 

 picking up stones the size of hen's eggs, or 

 a little larger, I directed these should all 

 be left to dump, taking off only the larg-er 

 ones, until we could lift the boat to turn it 

 over. Well, in this way we finished by 

 noon what would have perhaps taken all 

 day with a common heavy stoneboat, and 

 one horse did the work of two.* I worked 

 until dinner time without any nap, and 

 really didn't feel the need of any. I thought 

 it prudent, however, to take a half-hour 

 rest after dinner, in order that I might not 

 "play out" before supper time. 



For some years I have carefully avoided 

 any thing like heavy lifting', because I sup- 

 posed my days of heavy work were about 

 over; but since I have been out here in the 

 woods I have been " happily surprised " to 

 learn not only that my strength is increas- 

 ing- day by day, but that I rather like the 

 fun oi lifting and carrying heavy weights — 

 something- I have dreaded and avoided al- 

 most all my life. 



Around here the main planting- of pota- 

 toes is from the 15th to the 20th of June. In 

 order to keep them in good order so late 

 they must be removed from the cellars or 

 pits, and spread out on the barn floor, to 

 stop sprouting. My barn was built for 

 shelter for our farming-tools, and also that 

 I might have a suitable place thus to spread 

 out my 75 bushels of various kinds of choice 

 potatoes I expected to plant. I haven't as 

 yet learned to be an expert with the little 

 hand planter I have said so much about; 

 but vay bo3^s have learned the art, and I 

 decided the best thing I could do to push 

 the work along was to cut the potatoes and 

 wheel them with the Daisy wheelbarrow 

 from the barn to the field. It is downhill 

 all the way, and I found I could take a 

 pretty fair load in the hard-beaten road; 

 but when I got into the soft mellow ground 

 of the field it wasn't so eas}\ Many would 

 say we should have a horse for such work ; 

 but we haven't one, and I don't want the 

 potatoes out in the field any faster than the 

 boys plant them. I want to boss the whole 

 job, too, to be sure there is no mixing of va- 

 rieties by mistake or otherwise. Ingrowing- 

 choice potatoes for seed for the past twenty 

 3'ears or more I have had some experiences 

 I don't mean to have again. If I cut the 

 potatoes, and wheeled them to the planters, 



* Perhaps I should add that one can hardly expect 

 this " high-pressure" way of working will keep up 

 with the average hired man unless the boss is en hand, 

 and " right in it." I explained to the boys the advan- 

 tage of all the short cuts I have mentioned, and they 

 seemed to agree with me in regard to saving time and 

 labor ; but if I didn't watch close the boat would stop 

 away off ; the driver would pick up the last stone, and 

 all hands stand idle until the big horse " got a moz'e 

 on him." Then when it came to unloading they would 

 begin by picking up the s:nall stones first. I suppose 

 they did it without thinking, and perhaps they think I 

 am fu.ssy about such small matters ; but when they 

 have farms of their own I hope they will remember 

 how I taught them to do a day's work in half a day, 

 and not work any harder either. 



I could be sure every thing was done just 

 right. Whenever we change from one vari- 

 ety to another we put in a row of Red Tri- 

 umphs. Anybody can tell these at a glance 

 in digging. 



After all this preface, dear friends, I am 

 now ready to tell you of one of my most val- 

 ued " happy surprises. " When I first be- 

 gan wheeling potatoes, a wheelbarrowful 

 would throw me over unless I was very 

 careful. I did not seem to have weight 

 (about 120 lbs.) to keep the equilibrium. I 

 supposed this could not well be helped, and 

 that I would have to take lighter loads. I 

 soon found, however, that a wheelbarrow is 

 a good deal like a horse or colt, if you 

 choose. One has to get acquainted with it, 

 and know its ways. I kept taking a little 

 larger loads, and then a little larger still. 

 It was pretty hard and tiresome work at 

 first; but as I had time to rest while cut- 

 ting them, I got on prettj' well. Of course, 

 I might ask one of the stout boys to wheel it 

 for me; but that would stop the work. I 

 thought I would try to stand it until this 

 job was done, and then let some one young- 

 er do the heavy lifting. Well, before I 

 knew it I actually began to enjoy wheeling 

 these heavy loads. In fact, I would rather 

 do it than sit down and cut potatoes. Of 

 course, it gave me an appetite. Why, to- 

 night after supper I felt as if I would rath- 

 er wheel more big loads of potatoes than to 

 sit down and read the papers; and, just for 

 the fun of it, I picked up the heavy spring- 

 tooth harrow (half at a time), and carried 

 it into the barn, because the barometer in- 

 dicated rain. ' You say I will hurt myself 

 bj^ overlifting. Not a bit of it. My back 

 that used to be alwaj's ailing is now as 

 sound and tough as a pine knot. There 

 isn't any "crick" nor any thing iveak 

 about it. I read somewhere a few days 

 ago that, unless exercise be taken in some- 

 thing the person is interested in, it does 

 little or no good. This may be true; but I 

 think one can, if he tries, get interested in 

 some work round about him. 



The special point in the foregoing is this: 

 One may, by taking it gradual — that is, 

 increasing the load little by little — learn to 

 enjoy developing the muscles that are used 

 in heavy lifting. 



Perhaps I had better add that I am now 

 out of doors all d.Ky long, and sometimes 

 looking after and petting my plants until al- 

 most dark. When I am tired my naps are 

 taken in a little grove on the hill overlook- 

 ing Traverse Bay. I have learned to con- 

 sider the hammock one of my greatest en- 

 joyments when wearied by heavy work; 

 and the lake breezes are so cool here that I 

 almost always need a blanket. Even our 

 cabin is so well ventilated that we two are 

 almost leading an outdoor life. Mrs. Root 

 thought I might not feel so much like work 

 after my heavy loads of yesterday; but 

 when I opened my eyes this morning I 

 could have honestly shouted, "Bring on 

 your heavy loads! " for I really rejoiced at 

 the thought of getting hold of them. 



