“But is it really worth this sum?” asked the Deacon. “In reply to that,” said I, “all I claim is that the figures are comparative. If your manure, made as above described, is worth ninety-seven cents a ton in the yard, _then_ John Johnston’s manure, made as stated, is _certainly_ worth, at least, $2.97 per ton in the yard.” Of this there can be no doubt. “If you think,” I continued, “your manure, so made, is worth only half as much as Mr. Lawes’ estimate; in other words, if your ten tons of manure, instead of being worth $14.69 in the field, is worth only $7.35; then John Johnston’s ten tons of manure, instead of being worth $34.72 in the field, is worth only $17.36.” “That looks a little more reasonable,” said the Deacon, “John Johnston’s manure, instead of being worth $2.97 per ton in the yard, is worth only $1.48 per ton, and mine, instead of being worth ninety-seven cents a ton, is worth forty-eight and a half cents a ton.” The Deacon sat for a few minutes looking at these figures. “They do not seem so extravagantly high as I thought them at first,” he said, “and if you will reduce the figures in Mr. Lawes’ table one-half all through, it will be much nearer the truth. I think my manure is worth forty-eight and a half cents a ton in the yard, and if your figures are correct, I suppose I must admit that John Johnston’s manure is worth $1.48 per ton in the yard.” I was very glad to get such an admission from the Deacon. He did not see that he had made a mistake in the figures, and so I got him to go over the calculation again. “You take a pencil, Deacon,” said I, “and write down the figures: Manure from a ton of oil-cake $19.72 Manure from a ton of clover-hay 9.64 Manure from two tons of straw 5.36 -------- $34.72 “This would make about ten tons of manure. We have agreed to reduce the estimate one-half, and consequently we have $17.36 as the value of the ten tons of manure. “This is John Johnston’s manure. It is worth $1.73 per ton in the field. “It costs, we have estimated, 50 cents a ton to handle the manure, and consequently it is worth in the yard $1.23 per ton.” “This is less than we made it before,” said the Deacon. “Never mind that,” said I, “the figures are correct. Now write down what your manure is worth: Manure from 1 ton of corn $6.65 Manure from 3 tons of straw 8.04 -------- $14.69