The portable house used at the fairs was placed on the homestead plot, a well driven (and water 

 was reached at 68 feet, going to 74 feet to get well into the vein), a tower built, another Secor engine 

 installed and barn erected. Ted's friend, George Barrett, with his wife and two small boys were placed 

 in the portable, and the work of planting began. 



In digging a pit in the bunk house to store the dynamite while clearing, we discovered to our sur- 

 prise and joy that the soil was four feet deep instead of two inches. It is a lighter (more sandy) quality 

 than No. 1, but sufficient clay to form an ideal early market garden soil, and it is fully two weeks earlier. 

 The drainage below is just as perfect as at No. 1, so we had no thought but that "Prosperity Farm" 

 would equal "Peace and Plenty." 



We were sure this locality was an ideal fruit and berrv' territory, therefore we planted an acre of 

 orchard trees, almost a duplicate of No. I's, with the exception of a predominance of peaches where 

 No. I's orchard has a predominance of Japanese plums. One-half acre was planted to currants (Fay's 

 Prolific, Cherry, and White) American gooseberries (Champion and Industry) and English gooseberries 

 (Crown Bob and Whitesmith). One-quarter acre was planted to red, black, and yellow raspberries, 

 and the following spring strawberries were set in the orchard row^s. These plots were all experimental, 

 for fruit bushes are expensive compared with seed and we must prove to other's satisfaction that our 

 idea of a berr\' farm was correct. 



Ted and Walter joined the Barretts and made the farm force of No. 2. Exactly the same procedure 

 was followed as at No. 1. Ten tons of manure to the acre, wood ashes, and some lime were the only 

 fertilizers used. Rye was sown and turned under the next spring, and the farm took its place in the 

 world in exactly the same splendid manner as did "Peace and Plenty." 



In the spring one-half acre was planted to alfalfa. It was inoculated with soil from No. I's best 

 field, and surprising to say it surpassed the mother field by a good deal. 



In order to secure a revenue from the land the currants, gooseberries, and raspberries were occupy- 

 ing, vegetables were grown between the rows of berry bushes. The same crops were raised as at No. 1, 

 and the story of their success is best told by the fact that they tied with No. 1 in prize winning at the 

 County fair. The following year No. 2 won more prizes than No. 1. 



Currants and gooseberries gave samples the first season, great luscious berries of very firm qual'ty, 

 and our theory that this was pre-eminently a fruit country was proven correct. 



Therefore, the following fall (1907), an acre was planted with red, yellow, and black raspberries, 

 red, white, and a few black currants. A half acre was planted with English goose-berries as we had 

 succeeded in raising these berries to perfection, controlling the blight fairly well. We felt sure that 

 earlier and more frequent sprayings with bordeaux mixture would give us perfect fruit. 



In the spring of 1908 our first plantings of berry bushes gave a fine yield, the currants were ex- 

 ceptionally large and fine flavored and met with an instant demand. The raspberries and American 

 gooseberries did likewise. 



The rest of the land was planted to regular market garden crops, with about one acre in potatoes, 

 one-half acre in teosinte (which gave the horses green fodder all summer) and one-half acre in field corn. 

 Two express horses, "Pennsylvania" and "Old Dominion" or "Pennsy" and "Dom" for short, were 

 purchased for $75 each when the farm work started. They were fine big bays, but scratches on Pennsy 

 and a bad fore knee on Dom made them not as fine a pair as Texas and Buckeye. Good care and 

 watchfulness have kept them in perfect condition and they are a good team. 



In December, 1908, it had been decreed, that, as the 10-acre market garden had been such a success, 

 it was wise to clear the rest of the 80-acre tract and take up farm work proper. 



Ted had gone to an advanced position at another farm, and Walter had gone to the city to learn 

 his father's trade (silversmithing), and Alfred, another Englishman, had become George's helper; he 

 was later replaced by Henry Knight, an American. 



Late in December we had two men come to us asking for work at the Experimental Station. The 

 first to apply was an Alsatian barber, he wanted to get out of the confining work in the city, and he 

 certainly looked as though he would not be able to stand much more. He had a wife and twins five 

 years old. We told him the only work that season was clearing land, for we had started to cut the stand- 

 ing trees and brush on the balance of the tract. 



"If you wish to go out and try it. Trappier, and see if you want to stay, all right. If you do we 

 will put up a portable house just like the one already there and you can bring out the wife and children." 

 "All right. Mr. Fullerton, I will go out on January 1st." 



He did go and in three weeks said he would bring the family and stay permanently. Consequently 

 a five-room portable was purchased and erected to the east of the barn among a few living oaks and 

 pines. 



The second man was a Belgian, Dominique Boquet, who said he wished to learn American methods 

 before he and his brothers purcha.sed a farm. 



He was also told that clearing land, the hardest kind of work, was all that presented at that season. 

 He took the place, however, and worked lika a trojan. 



As .spring advanced we noticed George Barrett was not keeping up his customary good work, but 

 as Mike had also let down some we thought George would brace up again, especially as we had decided 

 to live on the farm ourselves this summer (1909). 



The farm had never had us, except an occa.sional day's visit of a few hours duration. It had been 

 conducted by voluminous written instructions and long distance telephone; we concluded, however, 

 that this year the office would have to be run in that manner and the farm receive our personal attention. 

 A five-room and two-room portable were purchased; the larger placed behind the tower and the smaller 

 to the north and at right angles to it. This we called the "Elbow," one room was for our good Nettie, 

 w^ho again took up farm life with us, and the other room, ostensibly for guests, was occupied all summer 

 by a high school lad who was undecided whether to take the agricultural course at college or not, and 

 one of the office force. 



But my pen runs too fast! George has been given the farm plan in the late winter; we always 



