Mařenka loves the young lad Jeník whose father doesn't agree with the new methods involved in agriculture and won't recognise the new saltpetre fertiliser system. His fields have a very small yield. Mařenka's mother wants to marry her off to the rich farmer's son Toník but Mařenka does not want him. The mayor wants to help the young couple and arranges work for Jeník at the model farm in Uhříněves so that he can learn about the modern methods of agriculture. Mařenka's mother, in order to put a stop to her daughter's meetings with Jeník, sends her to Prague to a agricultural school. In Prague the young couple continue to meet. When Jeník returns to his native village in Moravia a year later, he manages to convince his father that saltpetre manure improves production and the money invested is well worth it. Marenka's mother finally consents to the marriage of her daughter and Jeník.

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