26 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETr. 



with temperance and industry ^ — opportunities for acquiring wealth 

 which would otherwise be impossible. It also gives educational, 

 social, and artistic advantages. 



Therefore the city is often unduly extolled, until " going to the 

 city " is sometimes regarded as getting up in the world, and such 

 words as "rustic," "countryman," or "rural," have an element 

 of contempt in their use. This condition of things overlooks two 

 facts. First, that city facilities increase both up and down ; 

 increased wealth and culture on the one hand are offset by 

 increased discomfort, vice, and povert^^ on the other. Second, 

 that there is no place like the country for real beauty, or for the 

 cultivation of the aesthetic sense, and that no class of people have 

 opportunities for such delightful homes as the farmers — common 

 farmers, if you please to accept such an expression. I can imag- 

 ine a matter-of-fact hard toiler, who may have seen or read of 

 some of the delightful grounds near Boston on which so much 

 money is lavished, saj-ing that he cannot afford such outlays. But 

 the object of this paper is to emphasize some of the little inex- 

 pensive things, the neglected trifles, which need attention in order 

 to improve the appearance of the country, and to make a widen- 

 ing circuit more attractive for homes for city people, when the 

 problem of rapid transit and cheap fares is solved. More care of 

 these matters will also do much to remove the unjust comparison 

 sometimes drawn between city and country. If before this paper 

 is concluded you think I have occupied your time with things too 

 trifling for the attention of this Society, my only apology is that I 

 know from actual experience in the country', that there is need of 

 increased care and thought in this direction, and I believe that 

 some one should run the risk of being criticised for uttering 

 commonplaces, in order to preach this gospel. 



First and chief of all, a spirit of keeping things " picked up" 

 is needed. "The real elements of beauty are not a fine house, 

 paved roadwa\'s, geometrical lines, mathematical grading, nor 

 any costly improvements. They are rather coziness, simplicit}', 

 and neatness." Have a place for everything, and the place for 

 old carts, refuse lumber, and rubbish generally is not in front of 

 the house or near to it. Many a home of fine possibilities is 

 hopelessly marred by the general carelessness about it. Too 

 often is the door yard a catch-all for old and new vehicles, 

 slovenly wood piles, a broken mowing machine, a few bean poles. 



