" Burt tried to look serious, but Webb's and Leonard's
laughter betrayed him. Amy turned inquiringly to Webb, as she ever did
when perplexed.
"Don't mind Burt's chaff," he said. "This is merely a map of the farm,
and we are doing a little planning for our spring work--deciding what
crop we shall put on that field and how treat this one, etc. You can see,
Amy, that each field is numbered, and here in this book are corresponding
numbers, with a record of the crops grown upon each field for a good many
years back, to what extent and how often they have been enriched, and the
kind of fertilizers used. Of course such a book of manuscript would be
the dreariest prose in the world to you, but it is exceedingly interesting
to us; and what's more, these past records are the best possible guides for
future action."
"Oh, I know all about your book now," she said, with an air of entire
confidence, "for I've heard papa say that land and crop records have been
kept in England for generations. I don't think I will sit up nights to
read your manuscript, however. If Burt's version had been true, it might
have been quite exciting."
She did enjoy aiding Mr. and Mrs. Clifford in overhauling the seed-chest,
however. This was a wooden box, all tinned over to keep out the mice, and
was divided into many little compartments, in which were paper bags of
seeds, with the date on which they were gathered or purchased.
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