IN PASTURES
GREEN
BY
PETER McARTHUR
AUTHOR OF
"THE PRODIGAL AND OTHER POEMS"
"TO BE TAKEN WITH SALT," ETC.
1916
LONDON AND TORONTO
J. M. DENT & SONS LTD.
NEW YORK: E. P. DUTTON & CO.
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK
TO ALL CITY MEN
WHO ARE TALKING
OF GOING BACK TO THE LAND.
IF EACH ONE WHO DOES NOT GO
BUYS A COPY
I SHALL BE ENTIRELY SATISFIED
PREFACE
The brief essays in this book were written for the Toronto Globe andFarmer's Advocate. As they deal with all kinds of farm work atdifferent seasons of the year they have been cast into the form of ajournal in order to give the volume some degree of continuity. The manwho wishes to learn the human side of farming may find something tointerest him, but the man who consults these pages for scientificinformation does so at his peril.
In order to suggest the scope of the essays and outline the experienceson which they were based I offer the following letter which waspublished in the Globe shortly after the outbreak of the war. Afterthis has been digested thoughtfully the reader may wander through thepages of the book just as he might wander over the farm if he wished tolearn something about country life.
Ekfrid, Aug. 20.—This morning, while thinking about one of theserious problems now pressing for solution, I was moved to take stock ofmy business as a farmer, and the result surprised me. Feeling that whatI found may have some bearing on the solution of the problem I had inmind, I am going to set forth some personal matters, in the hope thatthey may be helpful to others.
Five years ago I landed on this farm with no assets but a love ofnature, a sense of humour, and a deep-rooted conviction that because Ihad been born and brought up on a farm I could make a living for myselfand family from the land. When I took stock to-day I found that I haveon hand enough produce to keep man and beast in perfect comfort for atleast[Pg viii] a year—until another harvest—and that is not a small matter ata time when our world is in ruins. When you understand my purpose youwill absolve me from any suspicion of boasting when I tell you what Ihave on the farm. I have four milch cows, two heifers, a steer that isfattening for winter beef, and three calves; over twenty tons of hay;stacks of mixed oats and barley that if threshed would probably yieldfrom two to three hundred bushels; a field of corn that will probablyyield five hundred bushels; a well-loaded orchard and a plentiful supplyof home-preserved fruit; a good patch of potatoes, and a garden with awinter's supply of such staple vegetables as celery, tomatoes, cabbage,beets, carrots, and onions. I also have an interest in a flock ofpoultry that insures a plentiful supply of fresh eggs at all times, aswell as fat hens for the pot, and just now plump broilers are practisingcrowing all over the place. I also have ducks, turkeys, and guinea-fowlto provide for feast days that may be allowed to come oftener than theyever came in the city. The expenditure of less than $50 would provide uswith supplies of flour, sugar, tea, salt, and other necessaries thatwould enable us to live in comfort for a year, even if we were entirelycut off from the rest of the world.
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