42 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
able as they could, then to milk the cows and 
feed the hogs, and call it a day. 
While the others were unloading and getting 
things into shape, I called Thompson off for a 
talk. “Thompson,” I said, “you are to have 
the oversight of the work here for the present, 
and I want you to have some idea of my general 
plan. This experiment at farming is to last 
years. We won’t look for results until we are 
ready to force them, but we are to get ready as 
soon as possible. In the meantime, we will have 
to do things in an awkward fashion, and not al- 
ways for immediate effect. We must build the 
factory before we can turn out the finished prod- 
uct. The cows, for instance, must be cared for 
until we can dispose of them to advantage. 
Half of them, I fancy, are ‘robber cows,’ not 
worth their keep (if it costs anything to feed 
them), and we will certainly not winter them. 
Keep your eye on the herd, and be able to tell 
me if any of them will pay. Milk them care- 
fully, and use what milk, cream, and butter you 
can, but don’t waste useful time carting milk to 
market — feed it to the hogs rather. If a farmer 
or a milkman will call for it, sell what you have 
to spare for what he will give, and have done 
with it quickly. You are to manage the hogs 
on the same principle. Fatten those which are 
ready for it, with anything you find on the place. 
We will get rid of the whole bunch as soon as. 
possible, You see, I must first clear the ground 
