12 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



one to thirty acres, varying in value from $10,000 

 to 1100,000. These seemed ideal surroundings. 

 The farm was a trifle more than two miles 

 from the station, and 320 acres in extent. It 

 lay to the west of a north-and-south road, abut- 

 ting on this road for half a mile, while on the 

 south it was bordered for a mile by a gravelled 

 road, and the west line was an ordinary country 

 road. The lay of the land in general was a 

 gentle slope to the west and south from a rather 

 high knoll, the highest point of which was in the 

 north half of the southeast forty. The land 

 stretched away to the west, gradually sloping 

 to its lowest point, which was about two-thirds 

 of the distance to the western boundary. A 

 straggling brook at its lowest point was more 

 or less rampant in springtime, though during 

 July and August it contained but little water. 



Westward from the brook the land sloped 

 gradually upward, terminating in a forest of 

 forty to fifty acres. This forest was in good 

 condition. The trees were mostly varieties of 

 oak and hickory, with a scattering of wild 

 cherry, a few maples, both hard and soft, and 

 some lindens. It was much overgrown with 

 underbrush, weeds, and wild flowers. The land 

 was generally good, especially the lower parts of 

 it. The soil of the higher ground was thin, but 

 it lay on top of a friable clay which is fertile 

 when properly worked and enriched. 



The farm belonged to an unsettled estate, and 



