PLANTING TREES AND SHRUBS ON THE DRY FARM 81 



fuel for the home and posts for the fences. Surely the fruit garden 

 is both a source of pleasure and of an income that may be figured 

 in dollars and cents. 



Many farm homes have been improved by growing trees under 

 conditions as trying as those found on the dry farms of Montana. 

 It is surely worth a trial. When the matter is all summed up, we 

 nnd that the degree of success is measured largely by the proper se- 

 lection of plants, proper selection and preparation of soil, and proper 

 planting and proper care of the trees and shrubs. 



SELECTING THE SITE. 



In many cases the location of the farm home is definitely fixed, 

 the plan is already started and the problem is to complete it, but 

 there is much to be gained in the proper selection of the site. Most 

 of us have more or less positive ideas as to how the farm should 

 be arranged for convenience. Some no doubt give it little thought. 

 Most people prefer to have the home near the highway, and, keeping 

 this one thought in mind, the house should otherwise be about 

 centrally located. While it is in some ways convenient to have 

 the house at the cross-roads corner, it may cause a waste of time in 

 going to and from work and in most cases it results in greater 

 difficulty in planning and planting. While not always possible, it 

 is under most conditions more desirable to have a south or east 

 front. If one must have a wind break to the north and west it is 

 hard to front the house in these directions. Still there are ways of 

 overcoming this difficulty as shown in figure I. 



Do not make the mistake of plotting into fields all the tillable 

 land on the farm and leaving the rest for the home grounds. It is 

 impossible to grow trees, shrubs, and especially lawns, upon poor 

 soil. An attractive home lot will do more to increase the valuation 

 of the farm than the best ten-acre field on it. 



Occasionally there is a limited amount of irrigation water to 

 be had. If possible, locate the home where this may be used on 

 the garden, orchard and lawn. It will yield greater returns here 

 than on any other part of the farm. 



PROTECTING THE HOME GROUNDS. 



One of the first points to be considered after the selection of 



