Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-05-07

do not by any means intend to
say that beauty on the farm should
be sought as a primary object. The
primary purpose in farming is to
raise the farm and all its products to
the highest possible value in actual
cash. The field is machine for
turning the soil into corn, and the
pig and the steer are machines for
turning corn into cash. The milch
COW, no matter how she fills your
eye, must inevitably be rated by her
capacity to change grass into golden
butter, simply because golden better
easily transforms itself into green
backs. 1t is an intlexible principle
of political economy that the value
of every commodity which humanity
needs, is measured by money, and
money only. The farm and its pro-
ducts are no exception. "The or
chard, the meadow, and the deep
tangled wildwood" must submit to
the same unrclenting law. There is
no use trying to make farming beat
time to the measure of poetic feet
1t means business, and that business
is to make money. The fact cannot
be coated over by the vagaries of
idle romance-and have no idea of
romancing-understand that to be-
gin with.
But what do assert is, that if the
farmer has good taste and skill
enough, to give to all the products of
the farm the glow of genuine beauty,
he will get the best prices for such
products, and more or less refined
enjoyment to boot. Beauty affects
character as well as cash. The re-
suit is twofold; it makes more money
for the man, and more man for the
money. Chew upon that idea; it is
better than the Indian weed, and
will pay for careful rumination. But
further, this increase Of value by the
addition of beauty, is not true of the
products alone; it is equally true of
the farm itself. All other advan-
tages, such as soil, situation, wood
and water being equal, that farm
will bring the highest figures whose
arrangements, neatness, order and
system display the highest beauty
Inevitable figures in the sales Of real
estate, will sustain the proposition.
1t cannot be gainsayed. Just here
the farms of our fertile State are
dreadfully defective. Look at the
average prairie farm for a sample
You will see that the kind of attrac-
tiveness which care and taste can
give, is just what it especially lacks.
l am afraid you will find the dwell
ing a box-like quadrangular affair
which costs quite as much rs would
more tasteful structure of the same
size. You will notice it far off in the
distance dotting the bare bluff, ex-
posed to the sweep of fierce wintry
winds and the sultry heat of the
summers sun. Approach, and l fear
that you will discover that proxim-
ity does not improve the prospect
The grounds around it save, perhaps,
fringe Of stiff willows, are treeless
and shrubless. The sty too often is
located in front in such nearness to
the dwelling, that the baby cries and
the pigs squeal in close concert
The barn stands where the kitchen
and the stables may mingle their
odors. Refuse of every sort, a
broken pillow, a castaway harrow, a
dilapidated reaper, lie scattered
among decaying garbage. Not UNI
frequently the well that supplies the
family, is mere unsightly hole full
of malarious water.
Now it is in vain to say, in excuse
for all these sad evidences of indiffer-
ence to beauty, that the farmer hasn't
The means. In large part he has the
means. 1t is not cash he needs to
find the true remedy, but care. 1t is
not poverty that troubles him in this
regard, but lack Of Taste. 1t is true
that beauty and order and neatness
do not spring into full life at the drop
of the hat. But every farmer how
ever short Of currency may make a
beginning, and a beginning will soon
make itself manifest to every OBJ
server.