HAPPY HOLLOW FARM 131 



thing to work upon by way of a foundation. 

 The new spring plowing went eight inches 

 deep, turning up a new layer of the subsoil. 

 The harrows, both spike and spring-tooth, 

 followed the plows forthwith, catching the clay 

 at just the right time, working it well into the 

 mass. New stone was brought to light with 

 the deeper breaking. We hauled that off at 

 once, and then flew at the fields with a heavy 

 log drag, pulverizing the surface thoroughly 

 and packing it into a firm bed so that it would 

 hold the last drop of its gathered moisture. 

 The tough old "plow-pan" was gone now; 

 there was nothing to prevent free circulation 

 of moisture. Since that time neither drought 

 nor freshet has bothered us. When the heavy 

 rains come, they sink deep, instead of running 

 madly away down the slopes with our soil, 

 leaving the surface guttered and torn; and if 

 a drought strikes us, there's a deep reservoir 

 to be drawn upon. 



On the several smaller patches left us by the 

 tenant those that were too small to let us use 

 the cultivator to advantage we planted small 

 grain, oats and rye, to be cut as hay in May or 

 early June, and to be followed at once with a 

 thick sowing of cowpeas. Our first year of 



