44 



Farmers' Bulletin 1087. 



them about the corner may be better. This may bring the trees to 

 the rear of the house as a background (fig. 48) instead of as a screen 

 in front. Not only should a portion of the front of the house be seen 

 from the principal viewpoint, but there should be an open lawn 

 in front of it. This lawn may be bordered on either side by plantings 

 of trees or shrubs, or both, depending on the size of the place and the 

 character of the development. If the lawn extends to the road, this 

 side may also have trees, under the branches of which views of the 

 house may be obtained. If the house is so far from the road that 

 the lawn does not extend across the intervening space, it is usually 

 inadvisable to inclose the road side of the lawn with trees, no matter 

 how large it may be, as that would entirely hide the house from what 



FIG. 49. Trees partially hiding the front cf a barn. 



would naturally be the principal viewpoints. Although it is desirable 

 to hide partially the outlines of all the buildings, it takes from the 

 interest to have them completely hidden. It may be advisable to 

 have some trees on the road side of such a lawn, but liberal vistas 

 should be kept open, so that some good views of the house are 

 obtained. 



The house and its surroundings, as the home center and the most 

 important unit of the farmstead group, has been emphasized in this 

 discussion. The barns and other buildings should be so planned and 

 located as not to overshadow and take from the interest in the house, 

 even though they may be much larger. By a proper arrangement 

 and the planting of trees and shrubs this can be accomplished with- 

 out the sacrifice of utility or convenience. The barns, like the houses, 

 usually can be partially hidden from the principal viewpoints (fig. 

 49) without detracting from their usefulness or wasting land. 



