The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1872-02-17
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
FARM.HOUSES.

When We write and speak Of American
farm-houses, we do not intend to lay before
our readers or our audiences an deliberately
descriptive account of the luxurious subur-
ban homes of wealthy merchants, or even
of the cosey homes of wealthy stock rails
ers, be they close to cities or far away in
the rural districts. Neither do we allude
to the shanty of the backwoodsman, but to
the homes of the small farmers of our land;
and in doing 80 there is, unfortunately,
more in the construction of them to find
fault WITH than to commend. The aver
repairs and notifications. 1t is built of
wood; it has damp, disagreeable cellar
and frousy garnet, too hot for use in
Summer and too cold for comfort in Win
ter. The dairy is generally under the same
roof. There is no under or surface drain
age to the domicile; all waste water runs
off, or lodges, as the surface of the ground
admits. Seldom is there any attempt at a
flower-bed, and if such has been laid out it
is almost certain to be poorly kept. The
poultry and the pigs contend for rights of
ownership, while cows, oxen and horses
struggle for supremacy at the water-trough
and the hay-rack. Indoors there is no at
tempt at elegance, nay, even comfort is not
attended to. Frequently farm-houses
stand in orchards, where, during the Sum-
mer and early autumn, there is q perfect
plague of flies, caused by the fast-ripening
and decaying fruit. These same flies
throng into all parts Of the house. through
open door and windows, stain the walls
and furniture covers, and recall to mind
the sufferings of the ancient Egyptians.
To render farm-houses comfortable, the
appliances of City houses have, at least in
some degree, to be used in them. For in
stance, every house should have an abund-
ant supply of water under its roof. All
windows and doors should be protected by
fly-nets. This water supply can be had in
part from the roof, and will thus compass
many ends. Bysaving rain and snow, wa
ter for washing and cooking is always on
hand, while, also, much slop around the
house is avoided. A tank can always be
safely and inexpensively set within the
kitchen limits, high enough from the floor
to admit of wash-tub and slop-table I'M
der it's level. This tank could be supplied
from larger ones, which should be placed
underground safe from freezing, and every
such underground tank or cistern ought
to be of cemented brick-work, and furnish
ed with a force pump, to which flexible
water pipes can at moment be attached,
so that in case of fire there is at once y
substitute for an engine. Cases of fire are
of frequent occurrence, and in even sma l
fire the savings and hopes Of years can be
lost. In the matter of light, farm houses
are far behindhand. Miserable candles, or
dangerously explosive oils are solely used
and these are carried from point to point
on candlcsticks, or in hand lamp. AS gas
is out of the reach of poor farmers the next
best thing for them is to procure stationary
lamps, and to allow such q number as will
light comfortably all the house. Nothing
is more cherries than to have to groupe
about in dark cold halls, or up gloomy
staircases. Few farmers, too, live well,
and that is entirely their own faults, as
they are the growers of all the market
stuffs they ought to live on the fat of the
land, and do SO even at first cost, The
menu Of the farm housewife is pork and
beans, and, by way of change, beans and
pork, with, perhaps, poor turkey on
Thanksgiving Day, and occasionally dish
or two of i'll cooked vegetables. Who is to
blame for this-the farmer or his wife .
Generally both. There is no system Of
gardening or of poultry-keeping on the
average American farm. Beeves are too
| large for home consumption; veals and
sheep are never thought of, while the idea
of fat Spring lamb is not to be entertain
ed. Then American housewives are poor
cooks, and are usually over done with 9TH
err cares. Farm hands have to be boarded
| and, in such climate as ours, there is for
the greater part of the year heavy week
| ly washing to be got through. With all
| these d faculties to be got over, no effort
| should he spared to improve the farm
| homes of our country, and the first step to
doing SO appears to us to lie in introducing
| into farm-houses many of those labor-sa say
| ing appliances for which America is deserv-
eddy noted; also by permanent improve
ments, and the use of good material to
save at the outset all future expenses en-
| tailed by poor work and..inferior materials
| In erecting farm houses timber should not
| be used. 1t is not lasting, and it involves
either insurance expenses or heavy loss
| some day or other by fire. Stone walls
| and cemented floors, with tiled ceilings
| covered in with neatly set and stained pine
timbers are not expensive, but they are
| almost everlasting, and are fire proof, so
that even should the furniture and doors
and window shutters burn, the fire cannot
| communicate with other rooms or floors.
The splendid fire department of modern
| cities is step backwards rather than for
wards, as it shows the falling Off in the
solidity and security of our modern build
ings. In ancient days no buildings were
erected that were not fire proof. No man
needs economy more than the American
| farmer Of to-day; he needs it in time, in
money, in health and strength. Therefore
| we counsel him to take to himself of the
| improvements of the hour, and to strive to
| make the home of his choice a family tenn
pie Of comfort and progress, and likewise
| not to sell all the good things that he la
bors to produce, but rather first to live well
and wholesomely, and then to supply cit
les from his superabundance.
A Hint to Farmer Boys.
If farmer kept nice and exact account
with the cattle, the fields, the orchards,
| and the crops with which he has annual
dealings, just as his more careful brother
merchant does, he would find spirit of