﻿January, 
  1907 
  

  

  AMERICAN 
  HOMES 
  AND 
  GARDENS 
  

  

  39 
  

  

  in 
  structure, 
  but 
  ample; 
  and 
  to 
  let 
  in 
  just 
  as 
  much 
  of 
  out- 
  

   doors 
  as 
  possible. 
  It 
  was, 
  in 
  fact, 
  a 
  sort 
  of 
  outdoors 
  house 
  

   that 
  we 
  proposed 
  to 
  build. 
  And 
  this 
  was 
  what 
  we 
  did 
  build. 
  

   A 
  true 
  country 
  house 
  should 
  not 
  have 
  any 
  back 
  side 
  to 
  it, 
  but 
  

   should 
  be 
  equally 
  attractive 
  on 
  all 
  sides; 
  for 
  this 
  reason 
  you 
  

   would 
  hardly 
  recognize 
  any 
  one 
  side 
  of 
  this 
  homestead 
  as 
  the 
  

   front. 
  

  

  The 
  gardens 
  that 
  we 
  planted 
  were 
  first 
  of 
  all 
  to 
  supply 
  a 
  

   large 
  and 
  adequate 
  supply 
  of 
  crops 
  for 
  home 
  use. 
  If 
  in 
  time 
  

   a 
  surplus 
  occurred, 
  we 
  intended 
  to 
  find 
  a 
  market. 
  In 
  reality 
  

   a 
  surplus 
  did 
  occur 
  about 
  three 
  years 
  from 
  planting. 
  It 
  be- 
  

   gan 
  with 
  the 
  strawberry 
  crop, 
  soon 
  extended 
  to 
  the 
  rasp- 
  

   berries; 
  then 
  to 
  the 
  cherries 
  and 
  plums, 
  and 
  finally 
  took 
  

   in 
  pears 
  and 
  apples. 
  In 
  planting 
  a 
  country-home 
  garden, 
  it 
  

   is 
  well 
  to 
  begin 
  with 
  a 
  rather 
  free 
  planting 
  of 
  the 
  raspberry. 
  

   As 
  this 
  berry 
  can 
  not 
  be 
  shipped 
  to 
  a 
  distance, 
  it 
  can 
  hold 
  the 
  

   home 
  market. 
  We 
  have 
  found 
  the 
  currant 
  also 
  to 
  be 
  a 
  very 
  

   good 
  home-market 
  fruit. 
  There 
  is 
  never 
  a 
  glut 
  in 
  sour 
  

   cherries, 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  advisable 
  to 
  add 
  to 
  these 
  only 
  strawberries 
  

   enough 
  to 
  supply 
  nearby 
  customers. 
  This 
  rule 
  does 
  not 
  

   apply 
  where 
  one 
  is 
  in 
  possession 
  of 
  property 
  peculiarly 
  

   adapted 
  to 
  this 
  berry; 
  that 
  is, 
  low-lying 
  land, 
  easily 
  irrigated. 
  

   Our 
  gardens 
  were 
  for 
  experiment 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  cropping.; 
  

   and 
  such 
  experiments 
  have 
  been 
  carried 
  on 
  from 
  the 
  begin- 
  

   ning. 
  Among 
  the 
  results 
  are 
  a 
  currant 
  standing 
  seven 
  feet 
  

   high, 
  and 
  bearing 
  fruit 
  equal 
  to 
  Fay; 
  that 
  is, 
  a 
  bush 
  one- 
  

   third 
  larger 
  than 
  any 
  of 
  the 
  best 
  varieties. 
  Another 
  currant 
  

   of 
  fine 
  quality 
  holds 
  its 
  fruit 
  until 
  November. 
  Other 
  

   products 
  are 
  too 
  numerous 
  to 
  be 
  specified 
  in 
  this 
  place. 
  

  

  In 
  order 
  that 
  experimental 
  work 
  might 
  be 
  more 
  successful, 
  

   a 
  laboratory 
  was 
  built, 
  as 
  well 
  as 
  a 
  shop, 
  in 
  connection 
  with 
  

   the 
  barn. 
  Home 
  education 
  naturally 
  became 
  a 
  part 
  of 
  the 
  

   program. 
  Botany, 
  geology, 
  ornithology, 
  and 
  particularly 
  

   entomology 
  7 
  , 
  are 
  essential 
  parts 
  of 
  farm-life. 
  Where 
  tutors 
  

   can 
  be 
  obtained 
  education 
  may 
  be 
  almost 
  entirely 
  without 
  

   the 
  aid 
  of 
  public 
  schools. 
  This, 
  however, 
  is 
  the 
  exception. 
  

   At 
  all 
  events 
  let 
  these 
  home 
  sciences 
  find 
  their 
  place. 
  

   Otherwise 
  a 
  country 
  home 
  is 
  not 
  either 
  appreciated 
  or 
  

   comprehended. 
  A 
  knowledge 
  of 
  insects, 
  bees, 
  and 
  birds 
  is 
  

   quite 
  as 
  essential 
  as 
  a 
  knowledge 
  of 
  cows 
  and 
  horses. 
  

   Our 
  country-home 
  makers 
  must 
  be 
  waked 
  up 
  to 
  comprehend 
  

   this 
  fact. 
  

  

  The 
  orchard 
  I 
  have 
  mentioned 
  as 
  including 
  some 
  very 
  old 
  

   trees. 
  But 
  these 
  had 
  begun 
  to 
  pass 
  away, 
  and 
  must 
  be 
  

   steadily 
  replaced. 
  We 
  have 
  at 
  present 
  over 
  eighty 
  varieties 
  

   of 
  apples 
  yielding 
  three 
  hundred 
  and 
  fifty 
  barrels 
  a 
  year. 
  This 
  

   does 
  not 
  include 
  the 
  drops 
  which 
  go 
  to 
  cider. 
  The 
  shop 
  

   holds, 
  when 
  needed, 
  a 
  small 
  cider-press, 
  capable 
  of 
  making 
  a 
  

   fine 
  item 
  of 
  income 
  out 
  of 
  what 
  would 
  otherwise 
  be 
  largely 
  

   waste. 
  A 
  country 
  home 
  should 
  arrange 
  its 
  orchard-trees 
  

   so 
  that 
  there 
  should 
  be 
  a 
  complete 
  succession 
  of 
  apples 
  

   through 
  the 
  whole 
  year. 
  We 
  begin 
  with 
  Yellow 
  Trans- 
  

   parent 
  in 
  July, 
  and 
  end 
  up 
  with 
  Pippins 
  and 
  Russets 
  in 
  June 
  

   — 
  leaving 
  scarcely 
  a 
  gap 
  without 
  apples. 
  The 
  same 
  is 
  true 
  

   of 
  pears; 
  the 
  Rostiezer 
  opening 
  the 
  year 
  in 
  July, 
  and 
  Patrick 
  

   Barry 
  closing 
  it 
  about 
  the 
  first 
  of 
  June. 
  

  

  Flowers 
  for 
  a 
  country 
  home 
  ought 
  to 
  be 
  those 
  most 
  easily 
  

   cultivated, 
  and 
  those 
  not 
  making 
  too 
  much 
  winter 
  care 
  for 
  

   protection. 
  I 
  recommend 
  above 
  everything 
  else 
  a 
  good- 
  

   sized 
  shrubbery. 
  This 
  can 
  completely 
  surround 
  the 
  house, 
  

  

  provided 
  the 
  house 
  be 
  far 
  back 
  from 
  the 
  street; 
  or 
  it 
  can 
  

   flank 
  it 
  — 
  preferably 
  to 
  the 
  east. 
  Such 
  a 
  shrubbery 
  would 
  

   make 
  a 
  specialty 
  of 
  native 
  sorts, 
  and 
  provide 
  itself 
  liberally 
  

   with 
  lilacs, 
  syringas, 
  and 
  other 
  varieties 
  of 
  shrubs 
  bearing 
  

   sweet 
  flowers. 
  It 
  is 
  worth 
  a 
  good 
  deal 
  to 
  a 
  house 
  to 
  have 
  the 
  

   gentle 
  summer 
  breezes 
  waft 
  in 
  a 
  plenty 
  of 
  ozone. 
  But 
  at 
  

   the 
  present 
  time 
  any 
  country 
  home 
  can, 
  at 
  small 
  cost, 
  pro- 
  

   vide 
  itself 
  with 
  blossoming 
  shrubs 
  through 
  the 
  whole 
  sea- 
  

   son. 
  Of 
  course, 
  a 
  rose 
  garden 
  is 
  a 
  necessity. 
  It 
  should 
  be 
  

   located 
  where 
  it 
  can 
  be 
  cultivated 
  with 
  a 
  plow. 
  It 
  must 
  be 
  

   manured 
  heavily, 
  and 
  can 
  be 
  provided 
  with 
  varieties 
  that 
  

   will 
  not 
  need 
  much 
  winter 
  protection. 
  I 
  have 
  not 
  found 
  any 
  

   flower 
  more 
  satisfactory 
  for 
  a 
  country 
  home 
  than 
  the 
  tulip. 
  

   These 
  multiply 
  very 
  rapidly. 
  I 
  have 
  them 
  pushed 
  into 
  the 
  

   strawberry 
  rows, 
  where 
  they 
  blossom 
  by 
  the 
  acre; 
  the 
  flowers 
  

   being 
  gone, 
  and 
  even 
  the 
  stalks, 
  before 
  we 
  begin 
  picking 
  the 
  

   berries. 
  Gorgeous 
  lilies, 
  including 
  madonna 
  and 
  lancifol- 
  

   ium, 
  may 
  be 
  had 
  by 
  the 
  thousand 
  without 
  much 
  labor. 
  The 
  

   gladiolus 
  makes 
  another 
  good 
  plant, 
  as 
  the 
  bulbs 
  can 
  be 
  

   set 
  in 
  where 
  there 
  is 
  but 
  little 
  space 
  to 
  spare. 
  But 
  be 
  careful 
  

   about 
  trying 
  too 
  many 
  annuals 
  and 
  biennials 
  that 
  must 
  be 
  

   grown 
  from 
  seed. 
  

  

  We 
  occupy 
  nine 
  acres 
  and 
  of 
  these 
  nearly 
  one-half 
  is 
  de- 
  

   voted 
  mainly 
  to 
  tree 
  lawns, 
  shrubberies, 
  and 
  flowers. 
  In 
  

   these 
  lawns 
  there 
  are, 
  however, 
  some 
  fruit 
  trees. 
  We 
  sell 
  

   of 
  strawberries 
  less 
  than 
  fifty 
  dollars 
  a 
  year; 
  of 
  currants 
  

   about 
  two 
  hundred 
  dollars' 
  worth 
  ; 
  from 
  red 
  raspberries 
  and 
  

   a 
  few 
  black 
  ones 
  we 
  take 
  over 
  three 
  hundred 
  dollars 
  per 
  

   year; 
  from 
  blackberries 
  about 
  two 
  hundred 
  dollars. 
  Cher- 
  

   ries 
  and 
  plums 
  will 
  net 
  a 
  surplus 
  of 
  one 
  hundred, 
  pos- 
  

   sibly 
  one 
  hundred 
  and 
  fifty. 
  Having 
  reduced 
  our 
  pear 
  

   orchard 
  by 
  sale 
  of 
  land, 
  the 
  surplus 
  for 
  market 
  will 
  not 
  ex- 
  

   ceed 
  seventy-five 
  dollars. 
  From 
  bees 
  we 
  secure 
  about 
  five 
  

   hundred 
  pounds 
  per 
  year; 
  of 
  this 
  we 
  sell 
  three 
  hundred 
  

   pounds, 
  at 
  the 
  maximum. 
  The 
  item 
  for 
  eggs, 
  broilers, 
  etc., 
  

   will 
  not 
  exceed 
  fifty 
  dollars. 
  The 
  surplus 
  sale 
  of 
  apples, 
  in- 
  

   cluding 
  cider 
  and 
  vinegar, 
  reaches 
  about 
  four 
  hundred 
  dol- 
  

   lars, 
  and 
  is 
  constantly 
  increasing. 
  This 
  is 
  a 
  max 
  ; 
  mum 
  state- 
  

   ment, 
  and 
  must 
  be 
  taken 
  with 
  this 
  consideration, 
  that 
  every 
  

   year 
  notes 
  that 
  failure, 
  or 
  partial 
  failure, 
  of 
  two 
  or 
  three 
  

   crops. 
  In 
  other 
  words 
  we 
  average 
  a 
  sale, 
  beyond 
  all 
  that 
  

   we 
  eat, 
  of 
  about 
  twelve 
  hundred 
  dollars. 
  That 
  is 
  to 
  say 
  that 
  

   we 
  have 
  a 
  beautiful 
  country 
  home; 
  and 
  it 
  pays. 
  The 
  ex- 
  

   penses 
  of 
  such 
  a 
  home, 
  of 
  course, 
  vary 
  according 
  to 
  the 
  

   family 
  and 
  its 
  habits. 
  

  

  I 
  have 
  not 
  hesitated 
  to 
  use 
  my 
  own 
  experience 
  by 
  way 
  of 
  

   evidence. 
  Such 
  a 
  place 
  as 
  described 
  can 
  not 
  be 
  recommended 
  

   as 
  possible 
  for 
  those 
  who 
  will 
  not 
  be 
  alert, 
  and 
  whose 
  educa- 
  

   tion 
  has 
  come 
  short 
  of 
  educating 
  the 
  will; 
  much 
  less 
  can 
  it 
  

   be 
  recommended 
  to 
  any 
  one 
  who 
  wishes 
  simply 
  to 
  be 
  fed 
  bv 
  

   nature, 
  without 
  attentive 
  labor. 
  Such 
  a 
  spot 
  excludes 
  all 
  

   thought 
  of 
  rental 
  and 
  tenancy; 
  conferring 
  upon 
  itself 
  that 
  

   glorious 
  title 
  "home" 
  — 
  a 
  permanent 
  abiding-place, 
  where 
  

   the 
  soul 
  may 
  grow 
  and 
  twine 
  its 
  tentacles 
  about 
  every 
  tree. 
  

   and 
  a 
  thought 
  about 
  every 
  growth. 
  The 
  drift 
  country- 
  

   ward 
  is 
  now 
  met 
  by 
  the 
  trolley, 
  the 
  rural 
  free 
  mail-delivery 
  

   and 
  the 
  telephone. 
  These 
  give 
  to 
  the 
  farmer 
  all 
  the 
  ad- 
  

   vantages 
  of 
  city 
  life 
  and 
  something 
  over. 
  We 
  shall 
  prob- 
  

   ably 
  see 
  all 
  of 
  our 
  hills 
  covered 
  with 
  such 
  hippy 
  homes, 
  and 
  

   a 
  suburbanism 
  covering 
  the 
  whole 
  land. 
  

  

  