SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VIII. 837 



On the city lot where space is limited plum and cherry trees may be 

 used to good advantage to form the background for grouping our hardy 

 shrubs and flowers. They are such hardy, round-topped trees that they 

 really add beauty as well as value to the background. In summer they 

 are laden with fruit, and as a rule hold their green leaves late in the fall. 

 Figure 2 gives an idea where these trees can be planted, in the corners 

 near the border of the lot. We believe that each place should have a few 

 fine cherry trees like the Early Richmond, Montmorency and Wragg. 



The vegetable garden and small fruits should be back of the house, 

 and sheltered well from the north by the orchard, which in this this 

 country needs no shelter on the north. In general practice the vegetables 

 and small fruits thrive when sheltered from the cold north winds, but 

 from actual experience we have found that the orchards of Illinois, lowct 

 and the Northwest generally are less subject to blight and sunscald, live 

 longer, and bear more regularly where they are not protected on the 

 north and northwest by dense windbreaks . 



It is very necessary in planting the home grounds that the stable, 

 pig pen, cesspools, and other undesirable views should be located north- 

 east of the house, if possible, as the prevailing winds in the heat of 

 summer generally blow from the southwest. It is very desirable that 

 such views be cut off by heavy screens, either by planting of heavy ever- 

 greens, hedge, or shrubs as is suggested in the rear of Figure 2. 



In planting trees and shrubs in this climate it is verj essential to 

 adhere to the following: First, dig large holes, filling with rich soil and 

 tramping the dirt very firmly about the roots. We believe that this is' 

 one of the essentials of success. Never water when planting. If a long 

 dry period follows planting rake away some of the top and pour in 

 water until the grounds is well soaked, then replace the surface soil 

 and mulch so as to prevent baking. 



But the main thing in beginning the ornamentation of the home 

 grounds is to prepare a plan or map, locating the drives and walks and 

 showing where trees, shrubs and flower beds are to be planted. With k 

 map or plan of this kind one may take his own time in developing the 

 scheme. If you cannot plant all in one year, do what you can, and take 

 up the following year where you left off, and when finished your grounds 

 will be pleasing, not only to you, but to the passersby. 



The decoration of the school ground is one of the things that has 

 been very much neglected, not only in our rural districts, but on the 

 grounds of our city schools. Two objects should be kept in view in the 

 decoration of school grounds. First instruction, second beauty and 

 utility. The primary object of the school is instruction. The work 

 of beautifying the school ground should also carry with it the element oi 

 instruction. The grounds should serve as an object lesson for residents 

 of the community in which the school is located. They should be laid 

 out on sound principles of landscape architecture and be so well executed 

 as to induce the residents of the vicinity to copy the general idea of the 

 plan and possibly the detail of the grouping and arranging of the shrubs 

 cind trees. The idea of beauty can be emphasized in the proper groupiag 



