I'd save a little money. Well, I'll break up some of these lumps a bit
with my hoe and see how that will stand a little work." The land Myron's
father had given him was very good indeed, rich and light, so that work
of lump breaking was really very slight, yet it made the new hoe-blade
rattle in its socket.

After this work had been thoroughly done the boy took his rake and
started making fine the soil for the bed. Myron had learned well how to
handle his tools. These lessons of handling tools The Chief had taught
the boys for he felt that a tool should be a skilful instrument in the
hand. "A gardener should wield his hoe as well as a surgeon does his
scalpel," The Chief had often said. So the boys were proud of really
knowing how to work.

After looking proudly at the fine, smooth bed the boy shouldered his
tools and marched off to the village.

[Illustration: The crosses show where Myron set the strawberry plants.
The dotted lines signify the plantings of succession crops]

Do not think that you can save money by purchasing poor tools. It is
quite impossible, because always one has either to buy new and better
ones, or mend and remend the poor ones. The lad found out that a good
trowel costs at least 50 cents although a smaller one called a
transplanting trowel may be had for 15 cents; cast steel rake, 50 cents
(10 teeth), 75 cents (14 teeth); hoe, 50 cents; Dutch hoe, four inches,
40 cents; spading fork, $1.25, and weeder 10 cents.

That afternoon armed with cord, stakes, a tape, and the plan of the
bed, Myron started to mark it off for the plants. After tacking his plan