42 FARM SPIES 



have seen you make crops when the other farmers 

 failed. I like to hear you talk." 



"I always knew that you were a sensible boy/ 7 

 said Mr. Welden; "and now let the old man tell 

 you another thing. . I have made crops when others 

 failed because I had planted my corn just as early 

 as it was safe from frost in March. You can't 

 always do it on account of weather, but whenever 

 I can do it the bill-bugs won't get my corn as bad 

 as that which is planted later." 



"Is that so?" Johnny inquired. 



"That is so, Johnny, and now I have to be going. 

 You take what I told you and make your pa put 

 it in his pipe and smoke it." At this they both 

 laughed heartily and parted. 



"Mr. Welden is a good friend and he is a smart 

 man, too," Johnny mused as he was walking down 

 the road. Suddenly. he stopped as if he had for- 

 gotten something. "What about that early plant- 

 ing for bill-bugs? I bet I know. If you can get 

 your corn to silking and tasseling before the beetles 

 lay their eggs, the corn is then strong enough to win 

 the battle." He walked on some distance when he 

 suddenly stopped again. "What did that speaker 

 say at the farmers' meeting last month? He said 

 ' the right planting date for bill-bugs often is food for 

 bud-worms.' What did he mean? Gosh! there is 

 a lot to be learned yet about this bug business, but 

 I bet I'll know that too, some day." 



