250 IMPROVING HOME AND SCHOOL YARDS 



yard. They should be placed so as to be of some use, 

 either in giving shade or in forming a wind break. Ever- 

 green trees and hard wood trees should not be planted in 

 the same group. If evergreen trees are planted, they 

 should not be trimmed and the lower branches should not 

 be cut. They look much prettier in their natural con- 

 dition (Figure 150). 



Paths. There should be as few paths as possible, 

 and these should be placed so that they will be the 

 most convenient. Care should be taken to avoid straight 

 lines in laying out the paths. Sometimes a straight path 

 is necessary from the street to the house, but, whenever 

 it is possible, the paths should be made on large easy 

 curves. 



Barns and Other Buildings. It is not easy to tell just 

 where and how the barns, stables, granaries and other 

 farm buildings should be placed. Much depends upon 

 local conditions. 



The barns and stables should not be placed very close 

 to the house, but at such a distance that the barnyard 

 odors and the flies will not be troublesome. The gar- 

 den, however, may be placed quite near the house, so that 

 it may be easily tended and watched. 



If the barns and stables are built in the form of a hol- 

 low square, with one side left open, they will give pro- 

 tection against the winds in winter and will furnish 

 shade in summer. 



School Yards. The school yards should be models for 

 the whole community. Even if the schoolhouse is not 

 a fine building, it may be made very attractive by im- 

 provements. The principles of landscape gardening 



