282 FARMING BY INCHES; 



views of her own on all subjects of interest. Art, music, 

 and politics were familiar matters with her. Among other 

 things we touched upon our farming operations. 



" I have heard of your doings. It has made a good deal 

 of talk in the village already. They all seem to think you 

 will make a .wretched failure of it. I tell them to wait. It 



is not the first time a city-bred man has tried farming. 



% 

 Many have done so, and succeeded too, which is more than 



can be said of some regular farmers. You intend to con- 

 fine yourselves to garden crops, I hear." 



" Yes. It is purely an experiment with us. "We only 

 intend staying for a few months, and while here we follow 

 the business of gardening for a support." 



" I am glad to hear it. I should really like to see some 

 such active young people as you are make the experiment, 

 and then give us the result. Perhaps you could settle the 

 vexed question, Does farming pay ? " 



" If we fail in every other respect we can at least do that. 

 We can show by our books just what it does cost, and as- 

 certain how much profit there is in it." 



"I am glad to hear you say this. Farming, as carried 

 on about here, is a haphazard affair. They never seem to 

 know precisely where they do stand, whether they are mak- 

 ing or losing money. Can I help you in any way? My 

 husband when he was alive was a skilled gardener, though 



