Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-04-05
From the Franblin Farmer.

rega:dfo for the People is only HYPOcRlsY?-Pasr
and Democrat
From the Franklin Farmer.
FRONT YARDs-SE RuBBERY-FLowERs.
While the farmers are vigorously prepar-
ing to engage in the important and busy OPP
era,ions of spring, they should not neglect
those employ ments of the taste that contribute
so much to the beauty, pleasure and comfor:
of country residence. Don't suppose from
the caption of this article, that we are going
to advocate an inutile, unproductve eXpen-
diture of time and labor; for If you do, we
shall address ourselves to your wives and
daughters-God bless them. We hold it the
duty ofevery good farmer to render his home
as happy and agreeable aspossible; to conf
bine the solid comforts of life, with the ele-
giant pleasures of taste. We do not urge the
sacrifice Of substantial enjoyments to those
Of the taste or fancy-we would secure both
and he who is most successful in obtaining
the one. is most likely to secure the other
Let every farmer, therefore, appropriate a
liberal allowance of ground for front yard
to his house. 1t should be expansive enough
to permit the execution of regular design,
in laying out the lines for walks, groves, rows
oftrees, shrubbery and flowers. 1T should,be
handsomely graded, sloping downwards from
the house. in front and on each hand. Set it
in blue grass, and of course enclose it by
neat, substantial paling fence, painted white.
In the selection Of the trees, shrubbery and
| flowers, consult the taste of your better
"half;" and don't spare any expense she may
require, in order to crafty her taste If she
even fancies exotics, send abroad for them,
! though we should like to see our native bot
any more appreciated; tor beassured, every
tree. shrub oriflower, win give you or your
family Joy and gladncss more exquisite
than any derivable from the sordid enjoy
ments of wealth. A taste for trees, and plants
and flowers, is the love an enlightened mind
and tender heart pays to nature; it is a Pc
culiar attribute of woman, exhibiting the
gentleness and purity Of her sex and every
husband should encourage it; for his wife
and daughters will prove wiser. and happier
and better, by its cultivation. Who does not
venerate and love some tree, or rose, or hon.
cy-sucklc. planted, it may be, by the hand of
some absent or departed mother, or sister, or
brother! and who would not protect them
with a holy reverence, as mcmentoes of a
hallowed love as we'll as contributors to the
qualification of an elegant tastei The writer
remembers well, the vine planted by his
mothers own hand, when he was little
child. Its tendrils now cling to the topmost
branches ola tall tree in the front yard; and
he never revsi's the scene of his childhood,
without gratifying some of the hottest emo
tions of his nature by sitting under its shell
ter and recalling the earliest and happicst
associations ofhis life. And there too, cling
ing about the columns of the porch, is the CO.
raj honeysucklc. shading the evening win
dow, with its rich and delicate clusters of
flowers; and at every footstep along the bor-
der, are the many -hued flowers planted by Il
sister. And there also, along the line Of the
enclosure, are the rows of peach, pear, plum,
apple, ounce and ornamental trees, planted
Ly his own hand when but boy. They
now. like the writer, who planted them, have
grown TO maturity. Every year they paw
the rich return Of delicious fruit or beautiful
and fragrant foliage and flowers and every
returning summer, as he pays the accustom-
ed visit to the homestead Of his youth, he en-
joys rational pleasure in the mere sight of
them, infinitely greater than the qualification
Of the most fastidious palate. It is great
joy, to go TO each tree, and as 1t were, renew
an acquaintance begun in the earlier years of
our youth, and rejoice in the fulIstrength Of
nanhood-'tis the very poetry ola gentle and
gladstone and nature-loving henrt. And
these are modes of enjoyment. which every
one should provide for himself and for those
who are to come after him. i
We have deemed such an article as this,
necessary to many of our farmers. There
are too many of them who sacrifice to sup
posed utility, all the enjoymenis Of which we
have spoken. We have known some plough
almost UP 10 the walls on all sides of the
house, which seemed to have been taken from
some other place. and set down in the midst
of corn field. Such a taste is extremely
vulgar.
We have but two or three suggestions fur
Their on the subject, leaving to the taste ofthc
farmer. the plan of the improvement we de-
sire all to adopt The row of trees next the
yard fence, should be large forest trees, such
as the black locust or elm. The passage
from the front to the road, should either be
through woodland pasture or grass lawn.
neither OF which should ever be devoted to
the plough. Be content with the pleasure
and the pasiurage afforded by such land
they are profits enough. The woodland
pastures Of Kentucky, arc doubtless more
beautiful than the classic groves of Arcadia.
Where there is but lawn in front of the
house, the farmer should plant an avenue Of
trees. For this purpose, we recommend the
elm; but the unitarian will prefer the Locust,
a handsome ornamental tree, indeed, and
producing most valuable timber. But who
is the Goth, would think of telling the trees