22 HOW TO LIVE IN THE COUNTRY 



there is a brook on hand. I have a bit of a stream 

 running quietly through my apple cellar to prevent 

 the shriveling of fruit; then it winds on to where I 

 can use it among my berries. 



Be very careful that you do not overlook your 

 surroundings. At one time I was beset from the rear 

 with ungoverned youngsters who made fruit grow- 

 ing something of a tax. I planted along the fences 

 the roughest sort of blackberry bushes, until my Kit- 

 tatinnies and Snyders constituted a sort of body guard 

 and fruit guard that kept out all marauders. It is 

 better, however, to know what you are to guard 

 against and to find out also what sort of exposure 

 you will have to wild animals. Wood chucks in the 

 corn, weasels and skunks in the chicken yard, foxes 

 occasionally, and hawks and owls overhead can make 

 things very lively about a country home. It is just as 

 well to avoid these fellows if you can, but fight them 

 if you must. 



I shall teach you by and by how to make a good 

 rear, but it is better to buy one already made. 

 Beauty of outlook is the poetry side of the country, 

 but poetry is only the butter on our daily bread. We 

 must look out for the bread as well. A vineyard 

 of grapes that has cost us a good deal of money and 

 labor ought not to be at the mercy of either birds or 

 boys. We shall have enough to contend with along 

 this line at the best; so I recommend you to know 

 fairly well what you will have to do, before you 

 begin. 



