ORNAMENTAL PLANTING FOR THE FARM HOME. 



(By J. C. Whitten, Professor of Horticulture,' University of Missouri.) 



Of all places the farm home possesses the greatest opportunity for 

 beautiful effects in ornamental planting. As a rule this fact is not 

 sufficiently appreciated. In many cases, practically no attention what- 

 ever is given to planting about the home. One reason for this frequent 

 neglect is the fact that the owner is under the impression that good 

 landscape gardening about his place can not be effected without elaborate 

 plan and large expense. This is a mistake, for as a matter of fact, it 

 very frequently happens that nature herself has given to the country 

 home all of the main essentials of landscape beauty. 



Practically any farmer could make the grounds about his home a 

 thing of beauty with no greater expense than a little effort now and 

 then on the part of his family. The results so obtained in a few years 

 would grow into an effect which would make the farm not only a better 

 place to live, but worth more on the market. 



The first essential is to make use of the natural beauty which the 

 place already possesses. The country home is usually surrounded by 

 broad, natural landscape across which there are beautiful natural views. 

 In many cases, almost no planting at all is necessary. 



It frequently happens that the main problem lies in opening up 

 vistas so one can see out over the surrounding landscape. In a wooded 

 country a beautiful view may be opened up by cutting out a few trees 

 in order to allow the eye to range across adjacent valleys or distant 

 hills. Not infrequently a fence row continuously over-gro^vn with trees 

 and bushes may obstruct some beautiful distant scene. An opening 

 cleared in such an obstruction may give a vista through, so as to bring 

 into view from the house, hills, valleys or green pastures which make 

 up the surrounding landscape. 



Occasionally the low growing limbs of a few shade or forest trees 

 may obstruct a view of cultivated fields or green pastures. In such a 

 case it may be desirable to prune off some of these lower limbs in order 

 to open up an attractive scene. 



Land which is used for pasture, when cleared, should have occasional 

 groups of shade trees left here and there. This not only gives grateful 

 shade to live stock in the heat of a summer day or shelter from the 



(394) 



