TRANSACTIONS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILL. 



379 



charms of taste, beauty and refining enjoyments, should never find fault 

 with his good housewife for any slovenly delinquency inside of the house. 

 It is folly to think that pleasing homestead surroundings can be perpetu- 

 ated without the application of some labor. 



Nature has supplied at our hands the means to make our homesteads 

 the resorts of rural taste and endearing attractions. But there is a lack 

 of public interest on this subject, and a still greater lack of cultivated 

 ideas in the minds of our people. Let it be the mission of our horticul- 

 tural societies to awaken interest, and educate the public mind on this 

 subject that stands so intimately connected to the advancement of our 

 civilization. 



To further illustrate our subject, accept a few roughly-drawn sketches: 



FIG. I. 



Here we have a representation of a prosperous Farmer's Home, about such as we 

 most commonly see. 



Through industry and frugality, the proprietor has acquired wealth, and has taken 

 pride in fitting up his homestead in what he considers good style. He has a commodious 

 dwelling, with a nice little door-yard, with its white picket fence in front, nice lot of 

 evergreens in front of his house — standing in exact order — a straight walk from the 

 front door to the road. On the one side we see his fenced-up garden (G); on the other 

 side are his barn and feed-lots. His pen for his choice breeds of swine has a place near 

 his house, for convenience in feeding — every thing as handy as possible. If the odors 

 from the feed-lots are rather plainly manifest, they are not troublesome ~Mhen people get 

 used to theni. 



