THE GENESEE FARMER. 



283 



horses, cattle and sheep— i. e., in good condition — 

 do most towards adorning a farmer's barn-yard; 

 fine crops the field; a fine farmer and wife the 

 whole. Such a farmer, if he ever has the good 

 fortune to be called wealthy, will be so in a three- 

 fold sense — in possessions, in mind, and in heart." 

 S. E. P. 



' " Should farmers adorn and beautify their farms 

 and homes before they become wealthy ?" Yes. 

 There are many reasons for answering thus. Many 

 of them may never become — in the popular sense 

 of the term — wealthy ; and should they forego the 

 pleasure, all their lives, of having a pleasant home? 

 We live and labor too much as though riches were 

 the height of enjoyment, when in fact it is not so, 

 — the choicest blessings are free to all. It seems 

 hardly possible for a man to be truly wealthy with- 

 out a pleasant home. "Delays are dangerous." 

 Let a farmer turn his whole attention to becoming 

 wealthy, making it the all-engrossing topic, bend- 

 ing everything to accomplish it, and training his 

 family to that as the matter of greatest moment in 

 this world, — teaching them that first of all they 

 must become rich, and then they may plant trees 

 and flowers, — who will tell him when he is rich? 

 In all probability his family — those who should 

 have been taught to sympathize with nature — will 

 have grown iip selfish and cold-hearted, and been 

 scattered, before the man will have found out that 

 he is able to make his home an attractive spot. 

 How often have we seen a costly mansion, with 

 nothing cheerful or inviting around it, — notliing to 

 tell us that one of its inmates has a single pulsation 

 in unison with the beautiful and lovely things of 

 nature ! And we have seen the cabin, witli that 

 tasteful arrangement around it which has led us to 

 feel, that although its inmates were not rich in 

 gold and silver, they had that which was far better 

 — gentle dispositions and cultivated and refined 

 sensibilities. It seems to me that no child of crime 

 could proceed from a cheerful and beautiful home. 

 "How may it be done in the easiest manner?" 

 "Order is nature's first law." Have regular fields 

 and tidy fences. Build nothing but what can be 

 finished in a neat and substantial manner; a small 

 house in good repair is better and prettier than a 

 large one going to ruin. Take from tlie woods the 

 sugar maple, the ash, the hickory and butternut; 

 plant small groves in the pasture and an occasional 

 tree in the meadow, and a row on the street. Your 

 neighbors have flowers of various kinds, and will 

 be glad to give or exchange. Observe. Our tastes 

 are not all alike ; it is a good thing they are not, 

 for thus we have variety ; we must each set about 

 it and cultivate our own. One of the Boys. — Ar- 

 rowsmith''s, Defiiance Co.., Ohio. 



" The planting of ornamental trees should be at- 

 tended to among the first operations of adorning 

 the home. Of these, evergreens deserve the first 

 place. Their fresh green foliage during winter, 

 when all other vegetation lies dormant, gives them 

 the preference over all other ornamental trees. But 

 for variety, deciduous trees should also be planted. 

 Most kinds of fruit trees are good for ornamental 

 planting, especially when dwarfed. There are two 

 seasons at which they are particularly ornamental, 

 namely, when in bloom and when ripening their 

 loap of fruit. In addition to this, their profitable- 



ness will soon repay the cultivator for his care and 

 expense. But every one must be his own judge in 

 the kinds of trees he selects. A variety of small 

 flowering shrubs, such as roses, snow-drops, &c., is 

 another necessary ingredient in beautifying a home. 

 Again : the spot designed for a lawn or yard should 

 be carefully cleared of all rubbish, and as smooth a 

 surface as possible imparted to it, and a good coat 

 of green grass secured. Gardening sh.nild also be 

 attended to with neatness and care. 



"These, and nearly all other operations essen- 

 tially necessary to ornamenting the home, can be 

 done with very little cost, during the spare mo- 

 ments which farmers can have, if they properly 

 economize their time. Beautifying and adorning 

 the farm is rather a more extensive task, but with 

 care and perseverance may be easily accomplished. 

 Next to the beautiful homestead, the orchard is the 

 greatest ornament to, as well as the most profitable 

 part of the farm. Probably the easiest way to 

 beautify a farm, is to have the various kinds of 

 fruit trees planted and arranged with neatness; 

 shade trees and groves planted in such ])laces as 

 they are needed, and where they will present an 

 attractive appearance ; to lay off the fields in con- 

 venient, regular and symmetrical forms ; keep the 

 fences, &c., in a good state of i-epair; keep down 

 the growth of bushes and briers; keep the fields 

 not occupied Avith grain, in clover or some other 

 green crop, and let neatness and order have pretty 

 full sway. W. H. M. — irah oning^ Fa. 



Peobablt "the easiest manner" in which a 

 farmer may "adorn and beautify" his home and 

 farm, is by the judicious and skillful planting of 

 trees, vines, and shrubbery. I might qualify by 

 adding, either, or both useful and ornamental : but 

 to my mind, that which is truly beautiful is always 

 useful, although its utility may not be measured by 

 dollars and cents." 



" I ANSAVEE the first question decidedly in the 

 affirmative, and noto is the time to do it. How ? 

 I answer, by setting out trees. Keep your house 

 well boarded and shingled, and jiainted a dark 

 brown or chocolate color, as being the cheapest and 

 most durable. Keep your barn tight, warm, Avell 

 lighted with windows, and don't forget to have 

 ventilating chinmeys reaching from each separate 

 stable out at the top of the barn. Wash your barns 

 and sheds with blue lime, adding some brown pig- 

 ment to correspond with your house. Then take 

 the extra expense that German lead would cost and 

 lay it out in trees. There is nothing so beautiful 

 as a brown colored house seen through a clump of 

 trees. If you cannot get trees any other way, run 

 in debt for them. Apple, pear, plum or maple 

 trees will pay for themselves in a few years, with 

 all the interest on the outlay." H. Stearns. — 

 Felchville, Vt. 



"I:!T locating a house, follow convenience and 

 economy; and still I would in no case put the 

 woodhouse in front, nor the house behind the barn. 

 In building, remember that there are two sides to 

 a house, — the inside for yourself and family, and 

 the outside for other folks; and the Golden Rule 

 does not require you to do more for others tlian you 

 would or can do for yourself. Depend upon it, your 

 friends will admire your inside comforts, rather 

 than your outside show." 



