FRANK DRAWS A MAP OF THE FARM.
After the lamps were lighted and they were all gathered in the
sitting-room Uncle Robert began asking the children about the farm.
"What do you raise besides corn?" he asked.
"Wheat, oats, rye, and potatoes," said Frank. "Then we have the hay
fields and the pasture. The woods we drove through coming from town
belong to us too."
"The house faces east, doesn't it?" said Uncle Robert. "That would make
the woods north. Where are all these other fields?"
"Back of the barn and the other side of the orchard," said Donald.
"Can't some one show me on paper how it is?" asked Uncle Robert. "I
don't mean make a picture, but just a plan of it."
"Well, I can try," said Frank. "I know just how it is really, but I
don't know that I can get it right."
Frank found paper and pencil and set to work, while the rest gathered
eagerly around and looked on.
"This is the river," he said. "There's a big curve in it along our farm.
The road runs along the top of the slope, and this is where the house
is."
"What lies between the house and the river?" asked Uncle Robert.
"The big cornfield," said Frank. "That's where we are going to plant
to-morrow if it is a pleasant day. And right here, in the corner by the
woods, is the spring."
"The water comes right out of the ground," said Susie; "and it is as
cold as ice."
"Here," said Frank, "is the wood. You know we drove through it this
afternoon. The woods are on both sides of the creek."
"See the crooked line he makes for the creek," said Donald.
"That is where the violets and buttercups grow, uncle," said Susie,
pointing to the map.
"Where does the creek come from?" asked Uncle Robert.
"There's a pond away back in the woods," said Donald. "It comes from
that; but it is a swamp part of the year."
"The cat-tails grow there," said Susie.
"Well," said Uncle Robert, "the house, the cornfield, and the woods--is
that all of the farm?"
"Oh, no!" said Frank. "It is low along the river, but back of the
cornfield it gets higher, and that's where the grapes are. On this side
of the road is the orchard; and here, between the orchard and the woods,
come in the yard and garden."
"Don't leave out the barnyard," said Donald.
"What's back of the barn?" asked Uncle Robert.
"The field of timothy; and next to it is the clover field. That is as
far as the farm goes that way."
[Illustration: CLOVER TIMOTHY WHEAT OATS RYE]
"The wheat field is on the other side of the timothy, Frank," said
Donald, "and the oats between that and the road, beside the orchard."
"Put in the potatoes along the road," said Susie.
"Now all we have left is the rye field over in the corner," said Donald.
"That is the way it is this year," said Mr. Leonard, who sat with his
paper in his hand. But the paper was unread. He found the group around
the table much more interesting.
"Now it is all done," said Susie, hopping about on one foot. "Isn't it
fun? Let's draw the garden. I can do it."
"All right," said Uncle Robert, "you shall; but I think we'd better
finish the farm first. Who can tell how many acres there are in each of
these lots?"
"I know there are twenty in the timothy meadow," said Donald, "because
father always calls it the twenty-acre lot."
"Write it down on the map, Frank," said Uncle Robert. "How much in the
clover field?"
"It seems about half as large as the timothy meadow," said Frank.
"That's right," said Mr. Leonard; "it is."
"There are twenty acres in the wood lot, aren't there, father?" asked
Frank. "It isn't quite so wide, but it is longer than the timothy
meadow."
"Yes," said Mr. Leonard, "there are twenty acres there; and it is as
fine woodland as any I know."
"There are ten acres in the orchard," said Frank; "and the cornfield is
the largest of all."
"That must be thirty acres," said Donald. "I remember when father made
the pasture smaller, so that we could have more corn."
"Yes," said Frank; "and that left ten in the pasture. I remember. And
there are fifteen acres each in oats, wheat, and rye; but I don't know
how large the potato field is. It is smaller than the others, though--it
must be about ten."
"Right again," said Mr. Leonard.
[Illustration: (figures, addition, subtraction)]
"Now we have it all but the yard and garden," said Uncle Robert. "Does
any one know how much land they cover?"
The father and mother looked on smiling, but said nothing.
"It's all the rest of the farm, anyhow," said Susie.
"Oh, I know how to find out," said Frank. "We know the whole farm is one
hundred and sixty acres. We can add all these figures, and the
difference between that and one hundred and sixty will be what's in the
yard and garden."
So he added all the numbers together and found them to be one hundred
and fifty-five.
"Yes," exclaimed Donald; "and five more would make it one hundred and
sixty."
"Then there must be five acres in the yard and garden." said Susie,
"Write it down. Frank."
"There," said Frank, looking at his work with
some pride. "It's all in. Now shall I draw it again and make the lines
straighter?"
[Illustration: Map of the farm.]
"Oh, no; this tells the story very well," said Uncle Robert. "The next
time we will measure it off, and make it more carefully."
"Not so bad," said Mr. Leonard, as Frank showed him the drawing.
"I think it is very good for a first time," said Mrs. Leonard, with an
encouraging smile. "With a little practice, my boy, I believe you would
draw well."
"Mother always believes we can do things," said Frank, laughing.
"Tell me more about the river," said Uncle Robert.
"Our side is bottom land," said Frank; "but across the river the bank is
high and steep. Farther down it is just the other way. The steep bank is
on this side, and the low land is opposite."
"The river bends the other way down there," said Donald.
"I see," said Uncle Robert. "How high is the bank?"
"I don't know," answered Frank. "How high is it, father?"
"About twenty feet," said Mr. Leonard.
"Do you go on the river much?" asked Uncle Robert.
"Oh, yes," said Donald. "We have an old boat, and we have been miles on
it."
"That is, downstream," said Frank. "We have never taken the boat up the
river beyond the village, on account of the milldam."
"There's an island in the river," said Susie, "between here and the
village. We have been there."
"How large an island is it?" asked Uncle Robert--"large enough to have
a picnic there while I am here?"
"Oh, yes," said Susie. "It's just the loveliest place for a picnic!
There are trees all over it, and all kinds of wild flowers."
"Can't you extend your map, Frank, so as to put in the river to the
village, showing the milldam and the island?" suggested Uncle Robert.
"You might draw it this way, too," said Donald, "and show how the river
bends the other way down here."
"Now I want to draw my garden," said Susie, when Frank had finished.
Just then the clock on the kitchen shelf struck loudly.
"It's bedtime now, dear," said Mrs. Leonard. "Can't you draw your garden
to-morrow?"
"We'll plant those pansies to-morrow," said Uncle Robert, "and see what
can be put in all the other beds. Then we'll draw it, and tell just where
everything is."
So Susie went to bed happy, and Frank and Donald soon followed. And all
were glad that Uncle Robert was really come.