Homesteading 



would probably have finished seeding their wheat. 

 This plan worked out all right, our friends readily 

 agreeing to accept labour from us later in haying 

 or stoning in payment. 



The readiness of the early settlers to co-operate 

 in this way is a very helpful factor, and it is to 

 be hoped this readiness will not grow less as they 

 grow more prosperous. Would that it were more 

 common amongst British farmers ! It was now 

 necessary to begin preparing the seed by treating 

 it with formalin or formaldehyde, which has taken 

 the place of the old " bluestone," as it was called. | 



The object of this is to destroy " smut " spores I 

 and other injurious parasites. As yet we had | 

 no granary at hand in which to do this work, 1 

 so we made shift with our wagon-box, sprinkling j 

 some thirty-five bushels, or enough for a day's I 

 seeding, with a mixture of the required strength, I 

 then covering it with empty sacks to keep in I 

 the gas or fumes, so that the grain was ready i 

 for the next morning's sowing. Tom managed, | 

 having got a good start with the harrows, to 

 keep ahead of the drill, and though in a few places | 

 the ground had not thawed deeply enough yet| 

 » to allow the drill to work as freely as it should, 

 on the whole we had made a pretty good jobl 

 in a couple of days. 



Returning to my homestead, we put our oats| 



278 



