(520 MERRICK COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 



farm otherwise than cultivate and plant trees, until 1877 ; that 

 year I purchased from my brother the one hundred and sixty 

 acres lying south of me. This gave a half section of land, 

 with ninety acres under cultivation, and seven acres of timber 

 planted. In the Fall of 1877, I built me a plain farm house, 

 sixteen by twenty-six feet, one and a half stories high, the only 

 house on the farm prior to that time being a small board house 

 twelve by sixteen feet. In the Spring of 1878, I began to 

 plan my farm for a stock farm ; also planned to plant three 

 orchards. My object in having three orchards was to have 

 different exposures, one southern, one northern, and one to be 

 entirely surrounded by forest trees, as shown on the ground 

 plan herewith, hoping thus to have fruit every year. So far, I 

 have planted only one hundred and twenty-five trees, taking 

 care to select only such fruits as have been found adapted to 

 this climate. I have arranged my orchards to contain about 

 three hundred trees each. 



CATTLE. 



In the Fall of 1878, I bought the south half of the north- 

 west quarter and tlie southwest quarter of section 8, making 

 up my five hundred and forty acres. In my arrangements for 

 a stock farm I have but made a start. I have purchased and 

 placed upon the farm eighty-five head of cattle, the most of 

 them graded from one-half to three-fourths Short-Horn ; and 

 from the John Wentworth herd at Summit farm, Chicago, I 

 obtained a thorough-bred Short-Horn bull, to run with the 

 herd, it being my intention to buy another the coming Spring. 



I prefer the Short-Horn Durham stock, believing, as I do, 

 that for general purposes this is the best stock, producing more 

 and quicker returns than any other. It is my intention to run 

 my stock into full blood Short-Horns as quickly as possible. 

 My first work for the cattle was to build a corral, and then 

 fence in a pasture of one hundred and twenty acres, with barbed 

 wire. 



BUILDINGS. 



My next work, during the Summer and Fall of 1879, 



