noon
Ploughing and preparing the ground for agricultural purposes , was what the farmers in the neighborhood were accustomed to , and therefore help was easily to be obtained . Through the summer , Mr. Curtis had borne in mind that he should need a skilful farmer to till his land , one who understood the science as well as the art of farming to the best advantage . He greatly approved Thomas Grant 's industry , and the zeal he manifested in all that concerned his master 's interests ; but he feared the man was so attached to the old ways of managing land , that he would be unwilling to avail himself of the improved implements of agriculture , or the new-fangled notions , as he called mowing-machines , horse-rakes , sowing-machines , etc. , etc. . But one noon , while his oxen were eating their dinner , Mr. Curtis found him sitting under the shade of a tree , examining with great interest the latest report of the State Agricultural Society . Turning to a picture of a Devon cow , he exclaimed : `` Well , Squire , if Adam carried such cows as that with him when he went outside of Eden , I think he might have set up another paradise To my thinking , Squire , nothing can beat that cow . '' Mr. Curtis threw himself on the grass , wishing to test Tom 's ideas of farming ; and after conversing half an hour , resolved to hire him for his farmer . But still it was necessary for the gentleman to employ a gardener , one who loved flowers and had a taste for landscape gardening .