Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-12-22
A Winter Outlook on the Farm.

The first consideration in studying
ones surroundings in winter should
be that of comfort, and the second,
appearance. In seeking the first,
less expense is required than in the
second, Tor quality may often be sac
riticed for utility. Trees of the cheap
est and most abundant kinds will
serve as good purpose in making
windbreakers, shelter for stock, or
even fuel as the most rare and costly
consequently, the man with little or
no capital may procure the same
comforts III this line for his animals
and family rs the richest in the land.
In nine cases out of ten it is not
from want of means that the farmers
surroundings do not show comfort
and positive elegance, but from all
indisposition to procure them.
There is certainl y no man in the
possession of Il farm and moderate
good health who cannot surround
his dwelling with beautiful trees, both
dcciduous and evergreen, and thus
give cheerful appearance to his
home, no matter how cheap and in
significant his house. OF course we
are supposing the farm is located in
the Older States, where the original
forests have toa great extent disap-
peared, or in the new States OF the
West and South, where trees of all
kinds are scarce, for in both the bar
rem drcariness of farmers homes,
owing to scarcity of trees, is the
general rule, and the opposite the
exception. 1t is time that this neg
lect of appearances in such matters
should cease, for, rs we have said,
the cost in money and labor is too
lrit1ing for even a thoughtful con-
sideratlon. and the bleak appearance
of a country home IN winter without
trees, especially evcrgreens, is too
chilly a subject forserlous contempla-
ton.
OF course it is now too late in the
season to do much in the way of tree
planting, but during the coming win
ter there will be an abundance of
time for studying ones home sur
roun ;ings and seeing wherein they
may be improved in appearance, and
in the means of increasing the com
fort of the family and animals. The
farmer should then make note of
what is required in the way of trees
and buildings, and not forget them
on the return of warm weather in the
spring. A bank of evergreen trees
is far better than rail fence or snow
bank for protecting the barn yard
from cold north winds, and if Il man
cannot afford to purchase specimens
Of large size, he can procure the
very smallest seedlings at cost at
half 4 cent or cent each, and then
take good care Of them until the de-
sired size can be attained. The
same is true with deciduous trees; a
hundred, and in some instances a
thousand, can be had tor the price of
bushel or two of wheat, and no far
mer can say with truth 81 cannot af-
ford the expense" if such things are
needed to make his home more sight
ly and comfortable. If he cannot
find the young seedlings Of the trees
he desires in his own immediate
neighborhood, they can be had at
the nurseries.
We would advise the planting of
evergreen trees freely about the
place, especially in the Northern
States, for they not only give off heat
in winter, thereby raising the temper
ature of the surrounding atmosphere,
but add much in making the place
look cozy and cheerful, even when
the earth is covered with snow
There is no need of country homes
looking bleak and dreary at any sea-
son, for there is an abundance of
cheap material with which to make
them just the opposite. Will our
country readers think of this?-N
Y. Sun.