received has been from commercial fertilizers. And necessarily
they have made the land sour. It probably needs lime badly.

"Yes, I can't encourage Mrs. Atterson to look for a profit in
anything this year. It will take a year to get that rich bottom
into shape for--for what, I wonder? Onions? Celery? It would
raise 'em both. I'll think about that and look over the market
prospects more fully before I decide."

For already, you see, Hiram had come to the decision that this
old farm could be made to pay. Why not? The true farmer has to
have imagination as well as the knowledge and the perseverance
to grow crops. He must be able in his mind's eye to see a field
ready for the reaping before he puts in a seed.

He did not go to the house on this occasion, but after casually
examining the tools and harness, and the like, left by the old
man, he cut off across the upper end of the farm and gave the
neglected open fields of this upper forty a casual examination.

"If she had the money to invest, I'd say buy sheep and fence
these fields and so get rid of the weeds. They've grown very
foul through neglect, and cultivating them for years would not
destroy the weeds as sheep would in two seasons.

"But wire fencing is expensive--and so are good sheep to begin
with. No. Slow but sure must be our motto. I mustn't advise
any great outlay of money--that would scare her to death.

"It will be hard enough for her to put out money all season long