Q--- held a mortgage for 150 pounds on a farm belonging to a certain
Yankee settler, named Joe H---, as security for a debt incurred for
goods at his store, in C---. The idea instantly struck Q--- that he
would compel Joe H--- to sell him his farm, by threatening to
foreclose the mortgage. I drove out with Mr. Q--- next day to see
the farm in question. It was situated in a pretty retired valley,
surrounded by hills, about eight miles from C---, and about a mile
from the great road leading to Toronto. There was an extensive
orchard upon the farm, and two log houses, and a large frame-barn.
A considerable portion of the cleared land was light and sandy; and
the uncleared part of the farm, situated on the flat, rocky summit
of a high hill, was reserved for "a sugar bush," and for supplying
fuel. On the whole, I was pleased with the farm, which was certainly
cheap at the price of 300 pounds; and I therefore at once closed the
bargain with Mr. Q---.

At that time I had not the slightest idea but that the farm actually
belonged to the land-jobber; and I am to this day unable to tell by
what means he succeeded in getting Mr. H--- to part with his
property.

The father of Joe H--- had cleared the farm, and while the soil was
new it gave good crops; but as the rich surface, or "black muck," as
it is called, became exhausted by continual cropping, nothing but a
poor, meagre soil remained.

The early settlers were wretched farmers; they never ploughed deep
enough, and never thought of manuring the land. After working the
land for several years, they would let it lie waste for three or