132 THE CONNECTICUT POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



spreatl. a plow followed. There was no top soil or humus, 

 forest lires having robbed the land of that, and forest land is 

 sour, owing to heavy shade, so we determined to spread half a 

 carload (ten tons) of old strawy manure to the acre and pro- 

 cure Canada wood ashes which contain about 40 per cent, 

 vegetable lime. October 1 v^e began to spread the manure and 

 plow it in, as it was our intention to sow winter rye on as much 

 of the land as could Ije prepared before cold weather in the 

 hopes of having a few inches of green humus to plow undpr 

 in the spring. In 35 days after starting to clear we had ZV-i 

 acres growing, and in 60 days ten acres, all of which flourished 

 and was plowed under in the spring. 



Thus far all the water we used had to be carried from the 

 depot, a mile and a half away. It was our desire to experi- 

 ment in a small way with irrigation, as we felt a market gar- 

 dener should not be left to the mercy of the elements. The 

 middle of October a driven well was commenced, located on 

 the house plot northwest of the house site. We decided an 

 engine was necessary and after much thought and investiga- 

 tion a kerosene oil engine was purchased. We felt that gaso- 

 line engines with unskilled labor were dangerous as well as 

 expensive to operate. And the advantage to us of an engine 

 over a windmill was that we could use the same in cutting- 

 wood, grinding grain,, filling silos, lighting buildings and many 

 other purposes. W^ater was reached by the well driller at a 

 depth of 102 feet, and at 149 feet a large flow was struck with 

 ideal gravel bottom and we have all the water we need and the 

 first turn of the pump throws it into the tank, which shows the 

 water stands close to the top of the pipe, and it has proved thus 

 far never-failing. 



At this stage the question of suitable shelter for the family 

 came up and we purchased a five-room portable house that had 

 been used on the beach for two summers. 



It was our plan to experiment with fruit, to put in many 

 named varieties and ascertain what was best adapted to the 

 locality,' and to procure the stock from widely differing sec- 

 tions, to see which change of latitude would show greater 

 advantage. 



Before the stock arrived holes had been dug to receive the 



