FROM CITY TO COUNTRY
In early July I went through my young orchard, which had been cut back
so ruthlessly the previous autumn, and carefully planned a head for each
tree. Quite a bunch of sprouts had started from near the top of each
stub, and were growing luxuriantly. Out of each bunch I selected three
or four to form the head; the rest were rubbed off or cut out with a
sharp knife or pruning shears. It surprised me to see what a growth some
of these sprouts had made; sixteen or eighteen inches was not uncommon.
Big roots and big bodies were pushing great quantities of sap toward the
tops.
Of course I bought farm machinery during this first season,--mower,
reaper, corn reaper, shredder, and so on. In October I took account of
expenditures for machinery, grass seed, and fertilizer, and found that I
had invested $833. I had also, at an expense of $850, built a large shed
or tool-house for farm implements. It is one of the rules at Four Oaks
to grease and house all tools when not in actual use. I believe the
observation of this rule has paid for the shed.
In October 1896 I had a good offer for my town house, and accepted it.
I had purchased the property eleven years before for $22,000, but, as it
was in bad condition, I had at once spent $9000 on it and the stable. I
sold it for $34,000, with the understanding that I could occupy it for
the balance of the year if I wished.
After selling the house, I calculated the cost of the elementary
necessities, food and shelter, which I had been willing to pay during
many years of residence in the city. The record ran about like this:--
Interest at 5% on house valued at $34,000 $1700.00
Yearly taxes on same 340.00
Insurance 80.00
Fuel and light 250.00
Wages for one man and three women 1200.00
Street sprinkling, watchman, etc. 90.00
Food, including water, ice, etc. 1550.00
________
Making a total of $5210.00
It cost me $100 a week to shelter and feed my family in the city. This,
of course, took no account of personal expenses,--travel, sight-seeing,
clothing, books, gifts, or the thousand and one things which enter more
or less prominently into the everyday life of the family.
If the farm was to furnish food and shelter for us in the future, it
would be no more than fair to credit it with some portion of this
expenditure, which was to cease when we left the city home. What portion
of it could be justly credited to the farm was to be decided by
comparative comforts after a year of experience. I did not plan our
exodus for the sake of economy, or because I found it necessary to
retrench; our rate of living was no higher than we were willing and able
to afford. Our object was to change occupation and mode of life without
financial loss, and without moulting a single comfort. We wished to end
our days close to the land, and we hoped to prove that this could be
done with both grace and profit. I had no desire to lose touch with the
city, and there was no necessity for doing so. Four Oaks is less than an
hour from the heart of town. I could leave it, spend two or three hours
in town, and be back in time for luncheon without special effort; and
Polly would think nothing of a shopping trip and friends home with her
to dinner. The people of Exeter were nearly all city people who were so
fortunate as not to be slaves to long hours. They were rich by work or
by inheritance, and they gracefully accepted the _otium cum dignitate_
which this condition permitted. Social life was at its best in Exeter,
and many of its people were old acquaintances of ours. A noted country
club spread its broad acres within two miles of our door, and I had been
favorably posted for membership. It did not look as though we should be
thrust entirely upon our own resources in the country; but at the worst
we had resources within our own walls and fences that would fend off all
but the most violent attacks of ennui.
We were both keenly interested in the experiment. Nothing that happened
on the farm went unchallenged. The milk product for the day was a thing
of interest; the egg count could not go unnoted; a hatch of chickens
must be seen before they left the incubator; a litter of new-born pigs
must be admired; horses and cows were forever doing things which they
should or should not do; men and maids had griefs and joys to share with
mistress or Headman; flowers were blooming, trees were leafing, a robin
had built in the black oak, a gopher was tunnelling the rose bed,--a
thousand things, full of interest, were happening every day. As a place
where things the most unexpected do happen, recommend me to a quiet
farm.
But we were not to depend entirely upon outside things for diversion.
Books we had galore, and we both loved them. Many a charming evening
have I spent, sometimes alone, more often with two or three congenial
friends, listening to Polly's reading. This is one of her most
delightful accomplishments. Her friends never tire of her voice, and her
voice never tires of her friends. We all grow lazy when she is about;
but there are worse things than indolence. No, we did not mean to drop
out of anything worth while; but we were pretty well provisioned against
a siege, if inclement weather or some other accident should lock us up
at the farm.
To keep still better hold of the city, I suggested to Tom and Kate that
they should keep open house for us, or any part of us, whenever we were
inclined to take advantage of their hospitality. This would give us city
refuge after late functions of all sorts. The plan has worked admirably.
I devote $1200 a year out of the $5200 of food-and-shelter money to the
support of our city shelter at Kate's house, and the balance, $4000, is
entered at the end of each year on the credit side of the farm ledger.
Nor do I think this in any way unjust. We do not expect to get things
for nothing, and we do not wish to. If the things we pay for now are as
valuable as those we paid for six or eight years ago, we ought not to
find fault with an equal price. I have repeatedly polled the family on
this question, and we all agree that we have lost nothing by the change,
and that we have gained a great deal in several ways. Our friends are of
like opinion; and I am therefore justified in crediting Four Oaks with a
considerable sum for food and shelter. We have bettered our condition
without foregoing anything, and without increasing our expenses. That is
enough.