Much From Little--a Mechanic's Homestead

Within a mile frora uhere we now wiite, there livss a poor mnn, who has accomplished so much in bis little garden, tb at we must epeak of it as an example lo othors. About ten years ago, when he carne into possession oí his acra and a quarter lot, a email house and barn stood npon it ; there woio three old apple trees in one corner, and hard by were two scraggy knot-covrred plurn-trees: on each side of the frcnt door were two Baleam firs. A part of the ground was devoted by the former I ownur to potatoes nnd a lew other ' etables. Such wuru the " investments" on Ibis place. The new ocoupant on taldng posscssion early in the Spring, began wi h tho apple trees, whjoh bore nothing but worthless " natural " fruit. He grafted a part of eneh tree with E. I nrwnin. TJalflwins and Spitzenbergs, and at the time ecraped the trunks and liuibs cleun ol venniii noets, and gave them a -good caustic wüfcliing. The hali-dead plum-treea were ent up by the roots and burned, and their place mado gooel by aeveral nice dvvari-pear trees. The Bulsam fira weré not (listui bed, but a few other handsome shade tri.es were eet out in front of' the house to keep them company. The whole of the ground, eseept a narrow errass Dlot around the house, was put ■ 11 m. ■. ■ ■ -■ - - - - f inder the plow, then dragged and vorked smooth for planting. Potatoes and corn were, of uoarse, the maiti ci'ops,but nol the only ones. Beots, nions, otirrots, oabbages, turnips, cucnmbers, Bquashes, pumpkin, beans, feas, and all the rost had their allotted ilace. Most of ihose articles were jrown in drills, Mr. Johnson belioving ;Wa saved time, labor, and spaco. Onr friend ia quite systematio. On the south and west aides of his garden, vvheie the ground was somewhat shaded by fences, he sat his raspberries and currante, believing that they would Ihrive better there than in a very sunny èsposure. But he did not fall into the mislatë ol ftllowing weeds to creen in íroin a neighbor's land. The raspborry planta wore annually ma nureá and kopt ander as clean cultivation as aoy otber part of the garden. - On the Dorth sida, proteoted frora the cold bv a high fonce, heset his grapes, He set otbera, too, on the f unny side of his shed and barn, occupying every availa! ilc spot with a ohoice variety. - Atfinst he only ]lanted the Isabel), n, and Gatawba; but of late, ho has added the Diana, Éeoeopa, Concord and Del.iware. Dwari pears have Bttooeedeu wcll n his hands. Iluving tvvo or three crosswalks, vvith borders en each side, ba set out pears in these borde s eight feet ..,.f TTi4 ï.l.intörl iin'v thrme Anrts apare, lio píameu i'n.y muoo nuiw which had prwved generally bardy and jroductive; and ngidly confining hunolf to these, lio has met with fowfailres. He used no tnanure nt tho tin e í planting - for lie waa too poor to )Uy it - but he luis enriohed the uurface round thern cvery yoar since. And this suggosts another - llis land has been bruught up fri m compaa-ative barrennesa to high fértil ity, without purcbasing a single load pf manure. Tbe droppinga oí' tho cow havo been earefuily saved and mixed with absoibents. The pig-pen and hen-roost havo been Jittle mines of wealth. Weedrf and otber refuse have heen throwD in for Uie grunters to wofk over into compost. In ono corner ol t ho httía bam-yard, a eaucer-shaped place was dug out water-tïght and capacious. Ilero, muck, soda, saw-dust, obip-dirt, leaves, and o!d straw wcre tlirown froin timo to time, to aborb the Uitdien and charaber sjopi. - Nothiiig was allowed to wasto on the premisa, tfeat oould be turned iiüo muuure. Tima at the end of evwy year a fino pite of rich compost waa provided, ampie for all the wants of the placo. Mr. Johnson is a méchame, and has been obligad to take oare oí his place eDtirely out of the regular business houi-8." lie hires no help, but :.a aided by the niinble fingers oí' two sons to do rnuch oí the light work. As already iütiinaied, leu yeara have wrought a great charge in bis place. The fcppletrees furnish liim all tho fruit ho needs i n Winter. Ho bas pears, grapes, and ben Íes, not only enough for his own use, but some íor market. Within the last, two yeara, bis dáugbters have pre. vailed upon bim to lay out a httlB der space aroünd thehouse to gra?, aud this they keep neatly cut and Bwept. Tliey have also got a few flowor beds, and trellises for vines ; t=o that noiv, this is one oí tho most nttraeüvo cottiu'-es íq tho rieighborhood. L-3T The little ice oske in wütch Eiuuí. Dellüven wasfröïen m the Artio j sea,' and in which bc floated a thousand miles, was as Iárge as tho New JSngland aud Middle states put togettcr. Z'ÍST A wag that had been booted for Konie inisconduct said ; "That was tho last sad tóe-ken oí rémembraace Lia obíigjng friend had seen fit to lcave upon him." J3P A rich joke istoldof aueeeontno divine wlio whilo prcaching ono evening, was soincwhat amioyed l.y one of thó feminine gendor who, after a wUile, arcws and waïkod out. "Thore goes the devil 8 i daughtèf," Möd ho. The lady turucd around, and in a polite nianner cxclaimcd : " (oud nWit, fathiv ! '