THE FIKST VISIT TO THE FAKM 21 



began to study the geography of the farm. In 

 imagination I stripped it of stock, crops, build- 

 ings, and fences, and saw it as bald as the palm 

 of my hand. I recited the table of long measure : 

 Sixteen and a half feet, one rod, perch, or pole ; 

 forty rods, one furlong ; eight furlongs, one mile. 

 Eight times 40 is 320 ; there are 320 rods in a 

 mile, but how much is 161 times 320 ? Polly, 

 how much is 161 times 320 ? " 



" Don't bother me now ; I'm busy." 



(Just as if she could have told in her moment 

 of greatest leisure !) I resorted to paper and 

 pencil, and learned that there are 5280 feet in 

 each and every mile. My land was, therefore, 

 5280 feet long and 2640 feet wide. I must split 

 it in some way, by a road or a lane, to make all 

 parts accessible. If I divided it by two lanes 

 of twenty feet each, I could have on either side of 

 these lanes lots 650 feet deep, and these would 

 be quite manageable. I found that if these lots 

 were 660 feet long, they would contain ten acres 

 minus the ten feet used for the lane. This 

 seemed a real discovery, as it simplified my 

 calculations and relieved me of much mental 

 effort. 



" Polly, I am going to make a map of the 

 place, lay it out just as I want it." 



" You may leave the home forty out of 

 your map ; I will look after that," said the 

 lady. 



In my pocket I found three envelopes some- 



