40 FARM ECHOES. 



make compost heaps, etc., but I preferred to fall back 

 upon my stereotyped answer "You know I am learning 

 by experience. Several persons have told me just what 

 you have. I have heard all that you and they have to 

 suggest, now I am going to wait and hear what the muck 

 has to say. It shall speak for itself next summer." 



Grass seed was sown in this much abused ground, and 

 "took "well. Early next spring I called the attention 

 of one who had most heartily enjoyed my supposed blun- 

 der, and who happened to be passing, to the promising 

 prospects of the grass. " Oh !" said he, " that is a mere 

 spurt. That will never mature. I told you so last sum- 

 mer. It will all die out, see if it don't." 



" Do you really think that such will be the case ? " I 

 asked. "How can it go back ?" The old laugh of half 

 pity and half ridicule was given, and off went my self- 

 satisfied, though really much esteemed, brother farmer. 

 No land on my farm yielded such an abundant crop of 

 hay that summer as did that once swampy and unsightly 

 spot. 



So mortified was the good man to whom I just referred, 

 that he came to me a year or two afterwards, and asked 

 me to please never tell any one what he had said, as he 

 was thoroughly ashamed of having made such a mistake, 

 f The mistake was in treating all muck alike ; that which 

 is cold and sour in the samo way as that which is of a 

 totally different nature. 



One field included in my original purchase was so un- 

 promising, so absolutely worn out and exhausted, that I 

 was puzzled to know what to do with it. It was so covered 

 with mossy clumps as to drive out of existence every 



