FIRST STEPS TOWARD THE HOME 41 



material, and fits it for the land. For that matter 

 my compost piles have always proved an attraction 

 to visitors, as well as an object lesson in economy. 

 Everyone wishes to know what they are, and I make 

 them a text for a horticultural sermon about wasting 

 plant food. Manure, as a rule, as applied commonly, 



APPLE 



GAFkDEN 



HOUSE 



PLUMS 

 PEAPvS 

 CHERMES 

 AND OTHER 

 FPvU/TS 



The Minister's Retreat is all Garden and Fruit; Good 



Sermons Grow Along With Parsnips and 



Cabbages. 



loses nearly ninety per cent of its values, but a well- 

 constructed compost pile loses not to exceed five per 

 cent. A dozen big Hubbard squashes is the first 

 crop, and I have dug out of such a pile sweet potatoes 

 as large as your head. 



Our next point in a preliminary way is laying out 

 drives. These have for their main purpose inter- 



