and Ornamentals 23 



PART II 



SHRUBS AND ORNAMENTALS. 



Nothing adds more to the pleasure and attractiveness of 

 farm life than the farm home, of which the lawn, trees, shrubs, 

 and ilowers are important adjuncts. A farm home may be made 

 beautiful with delightful surroundings as advantageously as a 

 city home. To make a lawn beautiful costs in time and in 

 money, but the investment pays well in satisfaction. 



With the climatic conditions prevailing at the Substation it 

 seems unwise to try to grow trees, shrubs, or flowers about the 

 house unless some form of irrigation can be provided. No grass 

 will make a green lawn under these conditions without a con- 

 siderable amount of water. The lawn should be quite small 

 unless there is an ample supply of water. Blue-grass and white 

 clover make the best mixture for a lawn, but they will not grow 

 well during seasons of only normal rainfall, unless irrigated. 



Some trees should be planted about the buildings. Tt is well 

 to confine the list to native species. The only exception to this 

 would be to plant the Honey Locust and a few Russian Olive for 

 ornamental purposes, and evergreens for ornament and wind- 

 breaks. For quickly growing trees, plant the Cottonwood and 

 Box Elder. For more permanent trees, it is probable that the 

 American Elm, Honey Locust, Hackberry, and Black Walnut 

 are the best. From the evergreens we would choose the Black 

 Hills Spruce, the Western Yellow Pine, and the Jack Pine. There 

 are other species of evergreens, possibly, as suitable as the three 

 mentioned. The Red Cedar is the host of the ''cedar apple," 

 which is injurious to certain varieties of apple trees and should 

 nof be planted near an apple orchard. Tt is much better to 

 plant a few good trees and to care for them well than to plant a 

 large number and not properly tend them. The trees should 

 have \vaiev where possible. This can generally be furnished from 

 a windmill and well. Where this is impossible the soil about 

 them should be kept cultivated with a spade, making a circle from 

 4 to 8 feet in diai::<>ter. Mulching may also be advisable, as it 

 conserves 1lic water that is present and takes the place of cul 

 livation. Tt does, however, encourage surface roots which are 

 kept down by frequent cultivation. Mulching is not practical 

 on a well-kept lawn, as the litter will be scattered with the 

 wind and will be unsightly. 



