The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-11-18
Boys Can BeanIifr the Farm.

I ,
than it has this, if it is to be made an at
tractive spot for all future time, the chances
are that the boys must take the matter in
hand. 1t is fitting that they should plant
the treesand vines. since they and not theiI
fathers will enjoy the benefit of their shade.
A farm, whatever be its location, may be
made beautiful without the expenditure OF
money. The materials can be found In the
nearest forest and along the banks of the
neighboring streams Trees are to the land
scape what pictures are to the walls of a
room Vines are sort of natural tapes
try, suggestive alike of gracefulness and
beauty. Fortunately there are few neigh
borhoods, even in this prairie country,
where there are not trees and vines suita-
BILE for transplantiDg, that can be obtained
tor the asking and the digging. Taste
fully arranged about the homestead they
would transform it from the dreary place
it is into . rural paradise. The present is
the fitting time 10 set about 1t, and the
persons to engage in the enterprise are tie
boys.
To begin with, the side of the road in
front OF the farm should be decorated.-
Here is strip of land ordinarily of no use
except to raise weeds, the leeds of which
find their way into the adjacent fields. It
has become the fashion in many places to
set here uniform row of the same kind
of trees at the same distance apart. Now
it must be admitted that this is an i'm
provement on barren waste; but, after
all, they have an exceeding formal look,
reminding us of a row of telegraph
poles. A better plan would be to plow
a strip, six or eight feet wide, coming
as near as possible to the fence, and to
plant q greater variety of treas with let 3
regard to lines and distances. We lately
rode through an avenue in Toronto, Cam
ada, which was, in this respect, model of
taste. The trees stood as we find them in
. well kept grove some singly, others in
groups !; now several of the same kind,
and again dozen varieties interspersed,
and all so skillfully done that we rode for
some distance thinking the street had been
cleared through q natural forest.
1t would be well in every respect if
strip on the side of the farm most exposed
to winds could be treated in the same
The trees would be of use as
wind-bretks and would greatly add to the
beauty of the premises. II, however, there |
are reasons against occupying so much |
land, simpler plan may be adopted |
Suckers of Lombardy poplars can be OBJ !
talned In almost any neighborhood, and |
.hese, even stuck into the green sward and |
eft to take care of themselves, will make |
good trees in O dozen years. Two boys,
With measuring line, a-grubbing hoe and |
pointed stick, can plant row half mile |
nlength in few hours. The native larch
would be better tree to plant than the
poplar, and the European larch would be
preferable to either, but we are talking of
place without money, and OF
having the work done by boys.
Some nut trees, of course, should be
planted. These are valuable for shade, for
beauty, and, more than all, for their fruit
some of these trees, like the black walnut
nd butternut, may be transplsnted when
hey are small, but the surer way to get
lickories is to plant the nuts in the places
where you wish the trees to grow. It
would be an exceedingly good plan to have
ome chestnut trees, but as these cost
money, their planting can be delayed few
ears, unless you have an uncle in the east
rho can send you box of fresh nuts
aeked IN sand, from which ySu can raise
our trees. These nut trees may be plant
d In places where the ground is of very ,
title value; by the side of rayines, or ,
here tho land is so broken that it is not !
lowed. They may even be placed in the ,
asture, where the cattle, which will not !
at the nuts, can enjoy the shade. .
II there are old trees about the farm that i
ave seen their best days, their appearance !
lay be improved by planting wild grape !
ines and wood-bines side of them and 5
aiming them about their trunks and 4
ranches. In truth, these native, hardy 1
ines, easily transplanted and easily prop !
gated as they are, may be put r
1t to good effect In many places. \
rough, cheaply made out building be- \
'nes beautiful when covered by graceful 8
mes. The woodbine grows, we hardly :
now how, and attaches itself to places o
here moss can hardly support itself, aud 2
IS wonderful way Of making itself use
i in covering up deformity, whether it I,
} in the shape Of q house, tree or fence i,
he wild honeysuckle; of which we have v
veral varieties. compares in beauty with n
y of our foreign vines and shrubs, and s
serves place where it can be seen and {,
mired-- ~ .,
The door yard and lawn, if there is one, h
quire more care and study in order to M
We them fitted up with taste. In this il a,
well to consult the girls, and, if possible, in
study the plans that are given in news 81
pers or in works on landscape gardening. II
Q have said the present is the fitting time n
set about this work. Perhaps we should a,
alify this by saying this is the time to &C
Ike the plans, prepare the ground and TO 70
ect the trees and vines. Later in the q
lson some of them may be dug up,
ought to the farm and healed-in, so that
y may be ready to be planted out early 70
the season, before spring work on the Il
m commences EIrTner fil