378 ILLINOIS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



they should be in every civilized community,) fences may be constructed 

 in good taste, that will be very little obstruction to landscape views. 

 Our door-yard fences should be no higher than necessary — if a picket 

 fence, let it be of square pickets, and as wide apart as security will permit. 



Do not paint your fences white. It is from a want of due reflection 

 that people so often commit the error of painting their boundary fences 

 white. A glaring white picket fence should never be placed in front of 

 a beautiful landscape. The ostentatious white fence stands there in self- 

 display, and attracts all attention from the landscape scenery beyond the 

 fence. Let the fence be painted to some color that will harmonize with 

 the bark of the surrounding trees, such as a sober drab, or the softer 

 shades of brown. For objects of ornament, that stand back in some 

 shady portion of the grounds, such as a tasty summer house, white is not 

 inappropriate. For a small building, partially screened by trees, white 

 is not inappropriate for the dwelling itself; but for buildings of any con- 

 siderable architectural proportions, other shades of color are preferred. 



Having thus rapidly presented some general principles in the arrange- 

 ment of homestead scenery, we will briefly add a few suggestions on the 

 management of grounds. 



If commencing the work of preparing a homestead on wholly naked 

 ground, it is advisable to first plow and harrow the entire grounds. Your 

 whole plan is next laid out and staked off. Your trees are planted by 

 experienced workmen. Knowing the importance of giving your trees a 

 vigorous growth on the start, you decide to cultivate the whole ground 

 for a few years. You perhaps appropriate the more open portions to 

 some low, hoed crops. A good, steady single horse and careful driver 

 may be employed in the work of cultivation. 



After two or three years of this treatment, your trees get a luxuriant 

 start and begin to present a pleasing aspect ; and you finally prepare 

 your grounds for seeding. This, in favorable seasons, should be done in 

 August, so that if the August seeding is not a success, another sowing of 

 seed can be made very early in spring. It is not very important what 

 kind of grass seed is used, provided some blue grass seed is mixed with 

 it — the blue grass will ultimately occupy the ground. 



In preparing grounds for seeding, no labor should be spared in get- 

 ting the surface perfectly even. After your grounds are seeded, it may 

 be necessary to nurse the growth of some of your favorite trees by mulch- 

 ing, or by surrounding them with circular flower beds. You will not 

 neglect the frequent and timely use of the lawn mower. What can be 

 more charming than an expanse of closely mown lawn, enlivened by the 

 lights and shadows of sylvan scenery ? Your walks, also, must be kept 

 free from weeds. A few of your evergreens most contiguous to the house 

 may be kept trimmed in neat, symmetrical forms; but those in more remote 

 portions of your grounds should be allowed to assume a free growth and 

 natural proportions. 



It is true, to keep grounds in order costs work ; so also it costs work 

 to keep the ijiside of the house in order. He who is unwilling to expend 

 the work of one hand one day in a week to add to his homestead the 



