Hidden Treasures

Hidden Treasure, by John
Thomas Simpson

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Title: Hidden Treasure
Author: John Thomas Simpson
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HIDDEN TREASURE
THE STORY OF A CHORE BOY WHO MADE THE OLD FARM
PAY
BY
JOHN THOMAS SIMPSON
COLORED FRONTISPIECE BY E.H. SUYDAM AND 16
ILLUSTRATIONS
PHILADELPHIA & LONDON
1919

PREFACE
A few years ago the author visited the farm in Western Pennsylvania on
which he had lived for a number of years when a boy. Much to his

surprise there was not a boy of his acquaintance still on the neighboring
farms, many of which had passed into other hands, and in some cases
even the names of the original owners had been forgotten.
He bumped over the two short miles of road, still deep with mud,
between the town and the farm, and could scarcely recognize in the
weedy fields before him, with their broken-down fences partly
concealed by undergrowth, the fertile acres of his boyhood.
The orchard, once kept so neatly pruned, was now with trees that were
gnarled and broken--while rich bottom land, so productive in years past,
was foul with all manner of rank growth. The lane leading up to the
house from the main road was in such bad repair that he had to leave
his automobile on the main road and complete his journey on foot.
Investigation showed that many of the farms in the neighborhood were
in a similar rundown condition; that farm work was generally
considered unprofitable or uncongenial; and that the boys and girls
born in the country usually took the first opportunity to leave the farms,
often for harder and less profitable work in the cities.
In the hope that many boys and girls now living on farms, as well as
others, who, if they knew of the advantages of labor-saving machinery
and modern farm buildings (to say nothing of the interest of outdoor
work), would take up this, the most profitable and independent of all
occupations--FARMING--this story of Hidden Treasure is written.
THE AUTHOR FEBRUARY, 1919

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The author begs to acknowledge his indebtedness for valuable
information to:
A.A. Drew, Superintendent of Agencies, of the Mutual Benefit Life
Insurance Company, Newark, New Jersey, for Constructive Banking
and Life Insurance.

Bucyrus Company, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for Trenching with
Steam Shovels.
Waterloo Cement Machinery Company, Waterloo, Iowa, for Concrete
Mixing Machines.
Hercules Powder Company, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, for Progressive
Cultivation and Trench Digging by Dynamite.
International Harvester Company of America, Chicago, Illinois, for
Tractors and Farm Machinery.
George M. Wright, owner of Indian Hill Farm, Worcester,
Massachusetts, for Holstein Cattle, Dairy Methods and Poultry Raising.
John W. Odlin, Publicity Department, Wright Wire Company,
Worcester, Massachusetts, Wire Fencing.
C.P. Dadant, Editor American Bee Journal, Hamilton, Illinois, Bee
Culture.
The Sharpies Separator Company, West Chester, Pennsylvania, for
Milking Machines and Cream Separators.
D. & A. Post Mold Company, Three Rivers, Michigan, for Concrete
Fence Posts.
A.A. Simpson, Indiana, Pennsylvania, for much data regarding crop
production and market values in that vicinity.
The Domestic Engineering Company, Dayton, Ohio, for Electric Light
and Power for Farms.
The Portland Cement Association, Chicago, Illinois, for Concrete
Buildings and Road Construction.
United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., for
Farmers' Bulletins covering the great range of subjects referred to
throughout the story.

The Country Gentleman, Philadelphia, Pa., for much helpful data on
general farming and stock raising.
K.C. Davis, Knapp School of Country Life, Nashville, Tenn., for a final
reading of the proof sheets.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I.
THE OLD HOMESTEAD
II. A DAY'S WORK
III. A RAINY DAY
IV. DRAINING THE POND
V. SELLING