Beautifying the Farmstead. 



35 



straint from surrounding conditions than in any other part of the 

 grounds. 



Flowei-s about the house are to beautify the grounds; therefore to 

 depend on such flowers for cutting is to defeat the purpose for 

 which they are intended. Although flowers may at times be cut from 

 general plantings or from an ornamental flower garden without in- 

 jury or detriment, yet such plantings should not be regarded as the 

 legitimate source of cut flowers, nor should cutting be permitted to 

 such an extent as to mar the appearance of the plantings as a whole. 

 Most of the flowers for cutting for indoor decoration should be 



Fi<;. 38. A sharp ogee. There should be no line between the convex curve at the 

 top and the concave one at the bottom ; they should merge one into the other-. 



grown especially for that purpose, either in rows in the vegetable 

 garden, where they can be cultivated by horse tools, or in their own 

 garden, which should be arranged for economical cultivation. 



LAWNS. 



Lawns are most important for beautifying the farmstead. They 

 are the background or foundation against which all the details are 

 viewed. They should be in as large and unbroken stretches as pos- 

 sible, as this produces a pleasing effect, tending to give an impression 

 of great extent and also making them easier to maintain. The bor- 

 ders should be irregular, as shown in figure 37, for an irregular 

 outline increases the apparent size of the grounds by not revealing at 

 one glance their actual limits. When bays on the lawn are formed 

 by appropriate plantings it adds interest, as the depth of all the 



