EARTHWORMS IN GENERAL FARMING 67 



self, loved the soil and could cooperate in all community work. 

 My grandfather often remarked that he was making more profit 

 from his remaining 160 acres than he ever made on the original 

 1800 acres, due to his lifetime experience, improved methods, 

 and the intensive utilization of earthworms. 



The homestead was located at the center of the farm. Four 

 acres of orchard and garden furnished an abundance of fruits 

 and vegetables the year round. Root cellars, vegetable banks, 

 canned and dried fruits and vegetables provided for the winter 

 months. The house and orchard were backed by forty acres of 

 timbered land maple, hickory, black walnut, burr oak, and many 

 other trees native to Ohio. Incidentally, the farm was fenced 

 with black walnut rails beautiful timber which would be al- 

 most priceless at this time. My grandfather called this timbered 

 tract his park. It was indeed, a wonderful park, abounding in 

 small game and bird life to delight the soul of a small boy with 

 his first gun. The park was well watered with living springs and 

 a quite generous-sized creek ran through it, large enough to fur- 

 nish all the fish the family needed. I was designated as the 

 official fish-catcher, a task which I dearly loved. 



It is important to get a picture of the lay-out of the farm, in 

 order to understand its efficient operation without waste of time 

 and energy. It was divided into four tracts of forty acres each. 

 The homestead, with orchard, garden and park occupied one 

 forty. Near the center of the 160 acres was located the great 

 barnyard of about two acres, with broad swinging gates in each 

 of the four sides, opening into lanes which led into each of the 

 forty-acre tracts. Thus the stock could be herded into any part 

 of the farm, simply by opening the proper gate and driving them 

 through the lane into the particular section that was to be 

 pastured. 



Located in the four corners of the barnyard were the straw- 

 stacks alternating wheat stack, oat stack, wheat stack, oat stack. 

 These stacks occupied permanent raised platforms, about six feet 

 above the ground, resting on sturdy walnut posts and covered 



