CHAPTER XXIX 
FROM CITY TO COUNTRY 
In early July I went through my young 
orchard, which had been cut back so ruthlessly 
the previous autumn, and carefully planned 
a head for each tree. Quite a bunch of sprouts 
had started from near the top of each stub, and 
were growing luxuriantly. Out of each bunch I 
selected three or four to form the head; the rest 
were rubbed off or cut out with a sharp knife or 
pruning shears. It surprised me to see what a 
growth some of these sprouts had made; sixteen 
or eighteen inches was not uncommon. Big 
roots and big bodies were pushing great quanti- 
ties of sap toward the tops. 
Of course I bought farm machinery during 
this first season, — mower, reaper, corn reaper, 
shredder, and so on. In October I took account 
of expenditures for machinery, grass seed, and 
fertilizer, and found that I had invested $833. I 
had also, at an expense of $850, built a large 
shed or tool-house for farm implements. It is 
one of the rules at Four Oaks to grease and 
house all tools when not in actual use. I be- 
lieve the observation of this rule has paid for the 
shed. 
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