THE FARMSTEAD BEAUTIFUL 



pered by old buildings or preconceived 

 arrangements. I must leave you to apply 

 what I say to cases where the farmstead is 

 already laid out, where the house and the 

 other buildings have been erected before 

 you arrive or before your esthetic sensibility 

 is aroused. 



Still another preliminary remark. My 

 observations suit primarily the tier of states 

 north and south to which Kansas, Nebraska 

 and the Dakotas belong, halfway between 

 the Mississippi and the Rockies. Some of 

 the precepts offered need more or less modi- 

 fication for application elsewhere. Most- 

 wise this transfer to other circumstances will 

 be easy. 



I begin with a consideration or two relat- 

 ing to the farm at large. In many parts of 

 the country the scene which the farm pre- 

 sents is surpassingly beautiful by nature. 

 There are hills and valleys, ponds, water- 

 courses, waterfalls, woods, groves and open 

 fields, making a picture which the most 

 consummate artist that ever lived could not 

 render more lovely. In such cases, of 



