riiorning in the building; while a boy nearer 14 said, "I'm going to make my father grow that if I can." 

 It well repaid us the long days and incessant talk to see the keen awakening of the budding agriculturists. 



^Yomen, of course, showed more interest in "garden sass," especially in the martynias, large radishes, 

 including the 12-pound Sakurajima and the Pe-tsai. Kequest after request was made for the names "writ- 

 ten down so I won't forget" and I doubt not many little gardens will grow them next year. 



One gentleman spent much time over the exhibit, went away and returned shortly, with two com- 

 panions. They passed silently around noting every detail and finally one of them broke forth: 



"They've got Jersey beat to death!" 



That was a draught of nectar to we "book farmers." 



Ted became indignant many times a day at the remark that the 10-foot corn was " spliced," and 

 would say: 



"Even after they've looked it all over, from the root to the top they will hardly believe it." 



The little stenographer, who is short and round, became, after a brief while, utterly disgusted. 



"Why, you can't make people believe we grow them without tons and tons of fertilizer." She 

 had a long argument with one man, who finally said: 



"Well, what do you eat to make you so fat?" 



And she replied: 



"Scrub oak vegetables," which seemed to be conclusive proof of their merit. 



The last day of the fair the little house was thronged with people asking for their favorite vegetable, 

 while many asked for peppers, tomatoes, melons, and squashes "for seed." The watermelons were 

 eagerly sought for, they were not very large, but the sweetness made up for lack of size. 



I remember asking the Senior Partner, when we were breaking up the Riverhead exhibit: 



"Are there enough melons for Mineola?" 



"Enough! The cellar is half full, Mike don't know how to get time to ship them." 



Ted had been constantly at the fair and after going back to No. 1 to see the engine repaired (a 

 blow hole in the cylinder had been causing us a good deal of trouble) went to Experimental Station 

 No. 2, where a countryman of his, with his wife and little children, are ensconced in the portable that 

 did service at the fairs. 



As the weather grew colder we deemed it wise to dig the remainder of the sweet potatoes, but 

 Mike begged so hard to be allowed to leave them, saying: 



"I save him, Mr. Fuller," I make big brush heaps all around, a frost come, I light him, that save. 

 I make brush heaps too all around lima beans, after frost he bring much money," that we allowed him 

 to have his way. 



On the 10th the farmer went to the farm with some very important photographic work in hand. 

 He had scarcely stepped foot upon the place when, as he says : 



"I got uneasy and told Mike to call the men in from the dairy and pick every tomato, bean, and 

 eggplant. I felt we would have frost that night." 



Mike sat up until midnight to watch for it and deciding there would be none as no dew was falling, 

 went to bed without lighting the sweet potato brush fire. Signs failed for the thermometer fell to twenty- 

 eight degrees and potatoes had to come out next day. They were practically mature, but we would 

 like to have had a week longer. The yield of this digging was 40 bushels; this with the previous one 

 bringing the yield up to 51 bushels. 



Virginia horse tooth not only reached the desired height of 16 feet, but went 2 feet higher and 

 has also matured. The yield in bulk of forage is tremendous, while the depth of kernel and circum- 

 ference of ear are remarkable. One of the prettiest sights on a farm is stacked corn when the yield 

 is good, while as true wigwams for make-believe Indians they cannot be surpassed. 



Alfalfa was cut for the second time October 12th. The yield was, of course, a mere handful com- 

 pared with the first cutting, but the field has held to its reputation even in this respect, the second 

 cuttings totaling 207 pounds, green. 



A trip over the fields in October makes one feel desolate enough, crops out or half out, signs of 

 the heavy frost everywhere. The most peculiar thing, however* is to find the field where we have 

 lately removed turnips, thickly dotted with beautiful endive; radishes where sweet corn has been cut, 

 and carrots, peas, beans, and spinach among the crimson clover. These plants were "first crops" on 

 each section and it does not seem to matter how deep the seeds have been buried, they all come up in 

 their own good time. 



Thus stands the farm, but a year and a month old. Proudly does it raise its head and look the 

 world in the face, caUing to mankind to come and liberate its sister acres lying in idle waste and un- 

 productiveness, awaiting but the touch of that magic wand — the hand of man. 



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