Beautifying the Farmstead. 



39 



clear distinction between the lawn and the pasture extension, sepa- 

 rating them by the most inconspicuous fence possible. 



For a full discussion of the subject of grading and making lawns, 

 Farmers' Bulletin 494, entitled " Lawn Soils and Lawns," may be 

 consulted. 



ARRANGEMENT OF PLANTINGS. 



Although the discussion of planting is left until the last, it is 

 not because it is of least importance in the development of an at- 

 tractive farmstead, but rather to make more clear its true function. 

 There is a widespread lack of appreciation of the importance of 

 the matters already discussed, and a corresponding feeling that no 



FIG. 43. The house shown in figure 42 tied to its location by plantings. 



matter how poorly arranged and designed a place may be it can be 

 made beautiful by a few flower beds properly located. This idea 

 of the power of plants to beautify is not entirely erroneous, but it 

 is certainly exaggerated. Although they can greatly soften grave 

 faults, they can not hide them. While even a well-designed farm- 

 stead is bare and unattractive (fig. 42) until properly united by 

 plantings of trees, shrubs, and flowers (see fig. 43), on the other 

 hand, plants may be so poorly arranged that they fail to add as 

 much to the appearance as they might. 



Plant arrangement as w^ell as the design of the grounds may be 

 divided into formal and informal plantings. Formal planting is 

 the arrangement of plants in regular order, either in straight lines 

 or in balanced geometrical designs. This is true whether the effect 



