There is in addition always something new to find out regarding the methods adopted in different localities for the cultivation of the same crop. Farmers who have cultivated a certain plant in a certain locality where their fathers and grandfathers have grown the same plant, usually develop an almost uncanny knowledge of the conditions under which that particular plant will best grow and come to fruitage. All the scientific knowledge of farming methods does not come from the agriculture colleges; the ordinary farmer often cultivates his crop in a certain way because it is the right way without knowing the reason for following that particular method. One thing about growing corn in this Middle West section of the country was fast becoming a conviction in Hiram Strong's mind. Methods which had grown him a bumper crop of corn in the East might work quite as well here on Sunnyside Farm, but there had arisen objections to them. He had admitted as much to Orrin Post on a recent occasion. His old methods were quite necessary for the locality in which he had used them. But corn growing on the Atterson Eighty and corn growing on Sunnyside Farm were two distinctly different matters. "Always something new to learn," Hiram said to his companion. "Right you are," answered Orrin. "A good deal to learn," and he sighed heavily. Throughout July and more than half of August Hiram and Orrin worked almost on the run to keep up with the growing corn. Jerry and his mate lost flesh under this grilling work. To get over all the fields, and at the proper time, with one-horse cultivators, was an almost superhuman task. Besides, Hiram watched the shallow cultivation of his neighbors' corn. They used two- and three-horse knife-hoes that stirred the soil scarcely an inch deep and left the earth between the rows just as level as the harrow had left it when the field was first smoothed. Most of these farms about Sunnyside were more heavily manured than the fields that Hiram cultivated. The neighboring farms had not been cropped to death by careless tenants. These neighbors planted their corn in rows rather than checking it. The stalks stood twelve to fifteen inches apart in the row, making more than twice the number of hills to the acre than Hiram had planted. He was satisfied that he had planted and left to grow all the corn his land would develop properly. Two stalks to a hill and two good ears to a stalk was better to his mind than more fodder and less corn. The cultivating method followed by the neighboring farmers was not all it might be. The two- and three-horse cultivators left much to be desired. There were more weeds left in the row than Hiram cared to see. When he and Orrin got through cultivating a piece of corn they could safely have offered a prize for any weed in the field that had not been covered.