Home Adornment in the West. 2^1 



HOME ADORNMENT IN THE WEST. 



I HAVE spoken, in the Journal, of prairie-flowers, and how they impressed 

 us in the past, when these vast plains lay in the freshness of Nature. A 

 change has come over the scene. Enlightened husbandry, and its kindred 

 or associate arts, have given the whole picture a new aspect. Horticulture, 

 indeed, reveals itself in some of the beautiful views of the present, but chiefly 

 in the departments of the useful, — the fruits and vegetables : these pay. 

 The ornamental is neglected : indifference here is but too apparent. How 

 much might these prairie-homes be brightened and beautified by a more 

 liberal attention to the cultivation of trees, shrubs, and flowers ! I am to 

 advocate in this paper the cultivation of these, or rather that portion of our 

 native flora which we have at hand. 



Plant deciduous trees very early in the spring ; plant trees every spring ; 

 plant both the useful and ornamental, till the homestead shall be sheltered 

 from wintry winds, and the inmates have easy access to cool and grateful 

 shades in summer. 



Nature adapts her arborescent growths to mountain, hill, and plain. She 

 has given to these prairies the beautiful burr-oaks. We see them standing 

 out in solitary forms, or scattered in far-stretching, irregular lines, but 

 more commonly in park-like groups and masses. Wherever and however 

 seen, they are always objects of pleasing interest. Lucky are they who 

 have groups of these native growths near their farmsteads. Sightly are 

 they in the out-look, very pleasant places for family pastimes, and attrac- 

 tive objects to others in the distance around. Like the other oaks and the 

 hickories, they are difficult to transplant. They can, however, be success- 

 fully removed with a ball of frozen earth ; but the better way is to take 

 them from the nursery, where, by repeated transplanting when quite young, 

 they form the needful roots for safe and easy removal afterwards. Very 

 graceful trees for the roadside and the lawn are the elms, with their wide- 

 spreading tops and drooping branches. In fine contrast with these are the 

 dense, rounded, massive forms of the maples. Good shade-trees also are 

 the hackberry, the white-ash, butternut, and black-walnut ; and in some 



