8 THE TIM BUXKER PAPERS. 



and mowed around, for six generations ? They have had 

 their day, like other dogs, and should now be bidden to 

 &quot; get out.&quot; Labor is no longer the only or the cheapest 

 equivalent for the farmer s wants. The question ought to 

 be asked, how can this or that want of the farmer be met 

 in the cheapest way ? If a man wants information in re- 

 gartj, l to v husbandry, h can get the best thoughts of our 

 best CuKivatork at :a touch cheaper rate in the columns of 

 our agj^fclfctiral journals^ than by visiting his neighbors 

 to a*sk quesfkms^ and. make, observations. 



But Tim Bunker never thought of that. He has not 

 much opinion of &quot; that ere book farming.&quot; But Tim ob 

 serves, and is quick at calculating an idea that he sees 

 growing right out of the sod. &quot; Them is the sort of ideas 

 for practical farmers.&quot; He does not take the papers, but 

 Deacon Smith, across the way, does, and offers to lend 

 them, but Tim is so wall-eyed on the papers that he never 

 accepts the offer. But he sees the Deacon s strawberries, 

 and wonders if they would not grow in his soil. He 

 plants, and succeeds. The Deacon sells in the next mar 

 ket town at twenty-five cents a quart quite as much as 

 he used to get for a bushel of apples. Tim thinks his 

 strawberries look as good as the Deacon s, and he goes to 

 market and brings home the cash. &quot; In fact,&quot; soliloquises 

 Mr. Bunker, &quot; this business pays, and if folks will buy the 

 strawberries at that price, I may as well raise them.&quot; 

 The strawberry patch was realized last year, and a hand 

 some sum of money with it. One of the coldest days last 

 week Tim drove up to our door, after a long ride, which 

 must have been tedious even with the excitement of fine 

 sleighing and the music of the bells. Now, thought we, 

 Bunker has certainly come to invest a dollar in book- 

 farming. Not a bit of it. He had heard of our Lawton 

 blackberries through the Deacon, and had come down to 

 take a winter view of the brambles and to find out where 

 they could be purchased. We were, of course, glad to see 



