The Smoky Hill and Republican union. [volume] (Junction City, Kan.) 1861-1864, 1864-11-19
agricultural Column,
How to Add to the Value of Your
Farms.

d1NS'
An intelligent man, with growing
family, when about to purchase a home
stead, looks not only at the fertility Of
the soil, the value Of the buildings, the
fences, the nearness Of the markets, anG
the like. but several other things have
great weight with him in determining
upon the purchase of a farm, and q
home for his family. To illustrate
A man Of thirty five, having disposed Of
his present property, desires to purchase
a farm. The news that he desires to
purchase soon spreads, and he is offered
any number Ct farms, in different loca-
tiQns, but months passed before he
makes selection. We ask why. He
says be has not yet found all the good
qualities connected with any farm that
he has found in the market. We reply
he must be very particular. " No, not
rery particular, he replies, but there
are some essentials to a good home,
for my family, which l cannot overlook.
lam not looking entirely for good land,
good fences, and good buildings. But
| want to know that l am going into an
enlightened and progressive neighbor-
hood" But how are you going to de-
termine this point: "How? By the
signs. first take a look at the school
house. If | find the house neatly built,
well painted, and comfortably arranged,
with outbuildings in good order, with a
good supply of1ell fitted dry wood,
and the whole protected from the high
way by good fence, l say at once, this
looks well. l will look around this
neighborhood. I pass along the high
way and soon find it all ridged and
crisscrossed up, where somebody has
been securing an old rusty pillow. 1t
looks bad, but never mind, that man
will soon get shamed out of that. All.
what have we here? My horse comes
to stand. A motherly looking quad
ruped, with her nine incipient porkers,
raises from the mire, and blocks his on
ward progress. With grunt, she re-
treats, and We pass on. Each side of
the road is lined and embellished with
such attractive plants and flowers as are
furnished by the thistle, the burdock,
the mullen, and more Of the same gems.
l notice that the pig and poultry yard
are in front Of good many of the resi-
dences, and that there is as much old
rubbish on the street and around the
buildings as ought to occupy the site of
a dismantled fort. / conclude at once
that one or more public spirited individ-
uals have built the school house, but
that the neighborhood is behind the age,
and | will search yet little longer. I
ride on to neighboring town to see
Mr.. A., who advertises his farm 'for
sale. We walk over it. Good land,
splendid crops, good fences, generous,
tidy barns, and handy dwelling. Good.
Now, friend, show us your yard, shrub
berry, orchard, etc, Orchard All.
yes. Wei, to tell you the truth we
have not got an orchard. Never could
ind time, or means to spare, to set or
take care of trees. So have no orch
ard to show. The women folks have
SO much to do, they have no time to fool
away on bushes and posies.' They
can get enough of them in the woods,
or on the highway. Good morning,
sir. My family and self would as soon
think Of emigration to Greenland, or
among the Hottentots, as to move on to
place where there's no fruit or, Row-
ers. AS | ride by the school house,
which stands unenclosed on the public
road, l see walls staring through the
falling clappoards, glass broken from
the window, and the brick tumbling
from the chimney. The college is ex-
posed on all sides to the public gaze,
while splendid drawings, with chalk and
carbon, embeliish the whole exterior of
the buildings. Rude boys cling to my
carriage, and brighten my horse with
yells and stones. l feel a relief when
well out of the neighborhood, though
my first impressions, Oh the farm, were
very favorable"
The narrative Of our friends expert
cnce in purchasing home affords to us
farmers valuable lesson, viz: Other
things being equal, the value of any
farm is much enhanced by good orch
ard, pleasant shade, flowers and shrub
berry, 18th featness about the buildings,
and cn Street, with the public spirit
80 bul3a good roads and good school
houses, and keep good schools therein.
The citizen who fails to do his part in
such matters is neglecting his own vital