22 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



and thorough and constant tillage, that paying crops 

 may be grown. It must be borne in mind that in taking 

 up a new business, or in changing methods or location, 

 some time may elapse before all of the conditions for 

 success are mastered. This is especially the case with 

 lines of agriculture and horticulture, where our capital 

 can be turned and where we can see and profit by the 

 results of a trial of any variety or method but once in 

 a year. The success of a crop the first year will also 

 depend much upon what crop was grown upon the 

 land the previous year, and perhaps for a series of three 

 or four years. 



5. What Buildings Must We Have ? 



Buildings are the most expensive part of the equip- 

 ment of the country home or small farm, and the num- 

 ber and size of the buildings needed for the business in 

 hand will depend largely upon the size of the family and 

 the amount of land to be cultivated. If our means are 

 limited, we cannot afford large and costly buildings 

 and a few good, well-lighted and healthful rooms that 

 can be made comfortable in all weathers will suffice to 

 start with. A small dwelling-house and small outbuild- 

 ings with some space between them, to which additions 

 can be made as the business or other conditions require, 

 are better to start with than large buildings that must 

 be cared for and continually kept in repair. If possible 

 all the rooms in the house should have the sun some 

 portion of the day, especially the living and sleeping 

 rooms. If we are purchasing a home, we must carefully 

 inspect the foundation and sills, for many buildings that 

 are apparently sound upon the outside, will be found in 

 a sad state of decay under the sheathing or finish inside, 

 which will lead to no end of trouble and expense. Ex- 

 amine the chimneys carefully, for in old buildings there 



