268 FARMING BY INCHES; 



" The straightest furrow I ever seen drawed," said Farmer 

 K. "I don't see how he did it." 



" My army experience taught me that. "When I was 

 Sergeant of Co. 4 F.' 190th Mass., I very quickly learned 

 to draw a straight line across an open field by simply ' al- 

 ligning' two distant objects." Taking out his watch Robert 

 looked at it and exclaimed, " Why, it's ten o'clock ! I had 

 no idea the sun was so high. Please, Hattie, go and look 

 at the lettuce-plants. If the thermometer in the frame 

 stands at 70, or higher, lift up the back of the sash, and 

 put a stone or something else tinder it to let the surplus 

 heat out." 



On going to the frame, I found the glass covered with 

 steam. Looking at the thermometer I found it at 90, while 

 the plants seemed to be beaded with dew. Lifting up the 

 back of the sash I propped it up about an inch with a bit 

 of stick. Opening the sash where the potatoes were I found 

 everything steaming hot ; but as Robert had said nothing about 

 opening it, I let it remain as it was, and went into the 

 house. At noon Robert came in and said I should have 

 aired the potatoes. The heat had wilted them badly. So 

 much for ignorance. He also said I must go out at about 

 four o'clock, and let the sash down again to shut the heat 

 in for the night; which I accordingly did. 



At six o'clock I went out to call my husband in to sup- 



