The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-07-30
Large Returns for Little Work.

Large Returns for Little Work.
The farmer or his family have great ia
cilities for rendering a home attractive
with trees and shrubs, flowers, and other
forms of ornamental vegetation. They
need not be restricted to narrow lots like
the Inhabitants of village they have the
best of fertilizers, and the work of subsCil.
ing or planting that prevails on the farm
can readily be applied to making flower
bed when needed, or setting trees and
shrubs, thus rendering the adOrnment OF
home far less arduous than it becomes to
many classes. Some of the finest things in
cultivation are found, in their natural state,
on the farmers premises, perhaps, or very
near them, and by transplanting these to
appropriate places around his dwellings.
giving a lighter soil, richer mold, or need
ed support, they soon put on regal vest
ments and honor the hand that redeemed
them. will not speak of trees indigen-
Gus to any particular latitude; every man
knows what varieties are found in his vi
cinity, and landscape gardeners have prac-
tically illustrated this subject, and so
pressed it upon his attention that he can
designate the best trees for transplanting,
and the most suitable places for their fTl-
ture growth. He knows the right spotfOT
widespreading elm or tulip tree, for
a deciduOus cypress or magnolia; he
knows where he ought to plant a group
of evergreens or sugar naples, where he
should have shrubbery, a wind-break or
a hedge.
/ In field and forest, from the st. Law
renee to the Gulf, are found creepers and
trailers, beautiful for the Ornamentation of
a cottage, and capable of adding materially
to the grace of the finestmansiOn. Among
these are roses, jessamine, clematis, pop
ion-vine, and Virginia creeper-the last is
so abundant that doubtless many a man
passes it daily in making the circuit of his
farm. If he would bring it home
and plant it by the side of his
dwelling, it would, at no distant
period, cover the wall from base to sum-
NIT with its summer Verdure and autumn
nal crimson. | remember a brick wall,
three stories high, thus covered, the fret
work and caves were fringed or festoOned
with it, great taSsels of elastic vine hung
from the point of the gable, all forming
an establishment more beautiful than !
can describe, and to my knowledge it cost
the owner only short walk on a bright
day and an hours work in making a good,
soft bed for the young plants. Clematis
or virgins bower, so common that most
of the children know where to find it, is
admirable for covering a lattice or arching
a doorway. If one will plant a root OF
bitter-sweet at the foot of an evergreen,
and let it run and spread among its
branches, and hang out its coral fruitage
over the dark foliage of the tree, he will
have pleasing object, truly grateful to a
cultured eye. The collection of eXOticS
in the garden borders, of which every fam
lily, nearly, has more or less, may be en-
riched and improved by mingling with
them native plants from the aiacent field
or wildwood. Imagine for moment the
effect of a natural shrubbery. or bit OF
real forest near the house, at the extreme
end of a well-kept lawn for instance. The
trees should be such as TO furnish many
shades of green and the NEST brilliant col
Ors in autumn. If there should happen to
be a living spring or stream, a few rocks,
some stumps, wild grapevines, the dog
wood, Judas tree, fringe tree, willow, and
evergreens, they would all be most deSir-
able. In open, airy spaces, and on the
outskirts one might have laurel or asabas,
patch of young sumach, a clump of saSSa-
fras, here and there a martagon lily,
spring flowers. moses and viOlets, ferns
anu SCtli lOJCllts anu ltI DC ltlb W
grow after its own fashion. The denser
the thicket is and the greater the
tangle the better. This list is only
suggestive, some plants mentioned may
not naturally grow side by side.
Where a town is built in "Open-
ings," or a residence on the edge of a for
est, which frequently happens, a spot I'M
improved might easily be left. and it
would ultimately become most attractive
place.
ii fancy dictates. where should a few
delicate eXOtics find better and more con-
genial home than in the family sitting
room of the farmer? BaSe-burning stoves
in our country houses, giving to plant life
perpetual summer, increases the OppOrtu-
nifty of adjoining them with flowers both
indoors or out. The windows at the
farm may have the attraction of graceful
plants, bright cOlOrs and sweet flowers,
for the accessories at hand will facilitate
this result. While winters cold and tenn
pest reign without. summers warmth and
beauty may dwell within. | say all this,
fully understanding the drudgery on a
farm, the want of leisure at some seasons,
and the stern necessity that presses upon
some who cultivate the soil. And here
desire to give credit to the rural pOpula-
ton for the spirit of improvement they
often manifest, and to forestall criticism
by adding that it is not expected that a
large grove, an extensive garden and
pleasure ground shall become appendages
TO every farm. Ny plea is simply for a
little more attention to these matterS-it is
for gathering to the home forms of Vcge-
tatiOn not exacting in their nature. but
which will give to the OutgOer and the
incomer something pleasant to look upon,
and to the family new studies of nature
that will have a beneficial tendency. Even
a few trees, a single climber, group of
white day lilies, bed of scarlet gerani-
ums, lighting up the yard the whole season
as a constant flame lights an altar, will
afford much enjoyment, and these,
surely, every one can have who de
sires them, at least the exceptions
are rare. Even the starving seam
stress keeps a geranium on her window
sill, and | have known a washerwOman
TO have her little doOr-yard full of flowers.
We are persistent and resOlute in doing
that which it pleases us best TO do. We
may make home that would delight an
artist, surround it with flowers, rare, rich,
and brilliant, may grow them in the bal
cOny and on the house top, and, like the
IAu>sldll. DOAtS vi liltlil Ut lIlC VIII
dows and over the door, and in various
ways bewilder with floral fancies, or our
dwelling may be as destitute of ornament
as rugged cliff or hut in a sandy desert,
and this difference will not depend upon
our means, our strength, or our time, but
more upon our taste, and the extent of its
The old rusty adage.
- where there is will there is a way" APP
plies mere as elsewhere. So much has
been said on this subject that he who builds
a house and plants nothing near it, is Of
ten heard to apologize for noncompliance
with popular demand. Some of the eX-
cuses made are valid but | fancy there is
now and then a person less candid than
that woman was who remarked after hear
ing this question discussed, "all that you
say about adjoining home is sensible and
the work posslb le-it may be done with
ease when there is inclination in that direc-
ton. At our house we have nothing orna-
mental. fer my husband is utilitarian. If
he had had the making of the world there
would never have been a flower in it,"
She mentioned this as a fact, not for CEN
sure, and her whole manner indicated that
she had gracefully submitted to the inev-
table. Neither have word of censure
for this man, only commiseration. We
pity the blind, and the condition of him is
no better who, having eyes seeth not. He