16 THE XEW AGRICULTURE. 



gatlier in, house, husband, handle and control the waters falling 

 down during the year, such would be the scene of transformation, 

 as to make an end of hesitation and doubt. Could a model acre be 

 shown in each county of every state and territory of our Union, a 

 decade would not pass before spades would everywhere be found 

 to be trumps, and such would be the multiplication of means for 

 holding and handling the waters, as to result within a single gen- 

 eration, to an approach to transformation of the earth's surface. 



Upon the author of this volume has devolved the work of making 

 a beginning. As things look at this time of writing it seems prob- 

 able, that by the tenth of July, 1885, two acres of a model five un- 

 der treatment, will be in condition to show what can be done to 

 control and use the waters for purposes of agriculture and horti- 

 culture. Not under three years, however, will our model five acres 

 be so perfected, as to make a complete demonstration of anything 

 like the utmost possibilities. How it has all occurred that the au- 

 thor has been the one to find out the way, and seeking and finding, 

 to lead the van of this, one of the greatest of works yet devolved 

 upon man, will be understood as the story is told of a lifetime 

 spent in following the waters. I was eight years of age when I 

 read in " Poor Richard's Almanac" that : 



" If the farmer or gardener would know the difference in fruit- 

 age, between a tree left to turf about its roots, and one where the 

 soil is loosened, let him try the experiment." 



In our garden were plum trees bearing, to a most gratifying de- 

 gree. These were on rich soil, with wash from the barnyard. Bait 

 for trout-fishing was here obtained ; the angle or earth-worm, in 

 abundance. To loosen the soil about the roots of these trees, be- 

 came correspondingly a pastime and profit. That the plums would 

 grow larger, and their flavor be improved, Dr. Franklin had said, 

 and of course he knew. Suffice it to say that the loosening seemed 



