September, 1912 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
149 
plants could safely be removed to a temporary frame covered 
with cloth sashes. It proved a fortunate thing that they had im¬ 
proved the watering system, for even with this more efficient out¬ 
fit it was a good deal of work to keep everything properly soaked 
up, when so many things outside were beginning to demand their 
attention. It was also quite marvelous how these things, with all 
the moisture they could use and protected from the late frost at 
night, shot ahead. It was something new to the several dealers 
they took truck to at Priestly, and the limited supply they had 
would not begin to go round, for there was no competition. 
With the out¬ 
door truck they 
were not quite so 
lucky. Things like 
cabbages and 
transplanted beets 
which they were 
able to market 
some time ahead 
of any competi¬ 
tors, went very 
well; but lettuce, 
radishes, turnips, 
etc., which they 
had 0 n 1 y a few 
days ahead of 
their competitors, 
did not go so 
rapidly. It was 
quite universal 
for the farmers, 
many of whom 
grew a little 
truck, to “take it 
out in trad e” 
when they had 
anything to leave 
at the stores. This 
offered a great 
inducement to the 
storekeepers to 
keep their orders 
split up among 
their customers, 
in the fear that 
their trade might 
be taken else¬ 
where. Mantell, 
however, realized 
that this was poor 
business, and 
usually insisted 
on cash. As he 
had larger quan¬ 
tities of truck to 
dispose of, and 
it was for the 
most part better in quality than the average grown thereabouts, 
it was possible for him to do this. 
The field crops they got in in much better shape and season 
than they had the previous year, for Mantell took pains to secure 
an unconditional promise from the man engaged for the plowing 
that he would show up on the date set. Of course, before plant¬ 
ing them with a machine, they soaked the potatoes for “scab” in 
the formalin solution just as they had the year previous, although 
there was no sign of scab on their own seed. In one of the fields 
fhey planned to trv out three or four short rows each of several 
different varieties, in order to assure themselves which would be 
the most profitable. They were pretty well satisfied, however, 
that the new variety which they had planted in the quarter-acre 
field the year before would prove the winner, and with this sort 
their heaviest planting was made. 
The experiment which Mantell and the Squire had made in 
regard to machinery seemed to be working out pretty well. 
Whenever possible they kept each other informed a day or two in 
advance as to what tools would be needed, so that there was very 
little confusion due to their both expecting to use the same thing 
at the same time. 
One of the most 
important things 
added to their list 
of machines was 
a new “two-row” 
two-horse culti¬ 
vator, of the very 
best type. It cost 
them nearly $25 
apiece, freight and 
all, but proved to 
be the greatest 
time saver they 
had yet got; for 
between the two 
places with their 
many acres of 
field crops and 
frequent cultiva¬ 
tion, which had 
become quite a 
hobby of the 
Squire’s as well 
as of Mantell’s, 
they kept it near¬ 
ly constantly in 
operation. 
This coopera- 
t i 0 n with ma¬ 
chinery naturally 
led also to their 
planning their 
work so that they 
could help each 
other out in do¬ 
ing jobs that 
could best be done 
by combin ing 
their labor forces. 
Mantell and 
Raffles took the 
job of planting 
, . m .‘. > the Squire’s vege 
L ■ » ■ . . .. - J» 1 ^ Ole OqUlTe S Vege- 
Shower after shower blew up, accompanied by no end of thunder and*lig}ifning; but not a drop’/ ;tjible garden and 
of rain fell to moisten the fields parched by four weeks of unbroken drought '*’***l\y Raving every¬ 
thing 
ready and 
making a business job of.* it, they were able to do.it in just about 
half the time the S’quireis rn&!> jytmkl*jyav£ taken, trying to do it 
piecemeal and at such *od.d Thrres* <aA£hey could be spared from 
their regular work. 
The onions had come up finely and Mantell had made it his per¬ 
sonal business to see that they got every attention just the mo; 
ment they were ready for it. Before they were above ground, the 
wheel hce with its disc attachments was run through and used 
again after the rakes had leveled the soil back against the rows, as 
soon as the little plants were up. In spite of this extra care, how- 
(Continued on page 171.) 
