36 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



of disease and sources of contagion or death. The aesthetics of 

 agriculture also has its economical aspect, for the attention to 

 little neglects prevents many wastes ; the mowing of roadsides 

 and removing fences helps exterminate weeds, and trees and 

 shrubs enhance the value of the real estate. 



The refining, and educating character of this work I do not 

 need to urge here among those who are older in it than I am. 

 Neither do I need to urge the unselfish nature of anything which 

 we can do for our pleasure, but which will please and cheer the 

 humblest passer by as well as the owner of the premises. 



I have dared to come before you with this paper, treating of 

 such seemingly trivial things, feeling that it might not be unprofit- 

 able to leave for one day the heights of horticulture, so to speak, 

 and come down to the common farmer, extending an influence 

 to help him and to improve country homes in a manner which 

 should be within the means of any one to carry out. 



This subject of the beauty of common country homes is a very 

 important one. As a matter of social science it will create an 

 influence to draw from the cit}', and also to make the denizens 

 of the country more contented with their lot. 



When one occasionally leaves drudgery to woo the birds to 

 become his near neighbors he transfers their songs to his own 

 heart and becomes more contented with his lot. If we contribute 

 anything toward making the agricultural community more con- 

 tented we have done a good work. Does farming pay? is an 

 oft repeated question. It certainly is an important element 

 towards answering the question if we can show that one of the 

 profits of farming is an incomparable home, — that a very large 

 dividend comes in close intimacy with natures choicest products. 

 And if we can show that it is a practicable thing for the fai-mer's 

 home to be -the most beautiful and most refining, as well as a 

 continual education, the boys and girls will be more apt to want 

 a farmer's home of their own. It may seem a little thing to 

 hammer together a slab hybrid of a fence in front of some home, 

 but it may be what will turn the scale with a son or daughter 

 in deciding whether or not to leave the farm. If the father 

 cannot spare a little land for a lawn or a flower garden ; if he 

 cannot give the boys a little time — with some encouragement 

 added — to care for them and improve the looks of his home ; if 

 he thinks of nothing but the cows or the cornfield ; he must not 

 be surprised at being left alone in Ins old age. 



