The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1877-09-22
Esthetics in Farmers Homes.

member of the community.
Esthetics in Farmers Homes.
Much has been said about the slovenly
appearance of farmers homes, the neg
lected door-yards, the piles of lumber
and old rubbish lying loosely around,
the want of taste manifest in the furni-
ture and fixtures of the house, the I'M
tidy appearance of the family board,
and the unkempt look of the mother
and daughters. While much of this
talk is vile SANDER, there is some found
alton for it. We have found in some
farmers houses as good taste and gen.
uinc culture as can be seen in the houses
of professional men, but we grant this
is not the rule; nor ought we to expect
the same style among farmers, whose
energies must be devoted to manual Ia
Dor, as among those who do brain work.
If in the farmhouse there is less es-
thetic culture, it must be conceded also
that there is more simplicity, more self
reliance, more native strength, and
more independence. We desire no
farmer to become the slave of fashion
or an imitator of the foolish customs of
wealth combined with vanity and pride.
We despise the shallow-pates who live
merely to make display, whether it be
of fine clothes, snowy houses, stylish
equipage, or any thing which is designed
simply to excite admiration and crafty
vain deceit.
What the weak head with strongest bias rules
Is pride, the never falling vice of fools.
There is, however, wide difference
between foolish display and true nsthet-
ic culture. The former gives only q
temporary pleasure to the exhibitor, and
so far from exciting admiration in the
behOlder, tends rather to stir up envy
and hatred. A cultured taste, on the
other hand, is a source of constant en-
joyment to its possessor, and conduces
to the happiness of all concerned. The
difference between the two is as wide as
between barbarism and civilization. The
savage with his paint, feathers, and
gewgaws, makes a great display; but
for true comfort and lasting happiness
we turn from the wigwam of the Indian
to the tasteful home of civilized life. 1t
is little strange, we may remark in
passing, that the ultra-fashionables in
civilization have SO many things in COM
mon with high barbarism. This is an
illustration of the proverb, "Extremes
meet"
1t is not true, as we have heard some
farmers maintain, that a cultured taste
tends to weakness and effeminacy.
There is golden mean in all things.
While rough exterior may tend to
rust and rottenness, polish may be car
ried so far as to cause weakness; but
this only proves that certain amount
of polish conduces to strength and dura-
bility. just this amount. and no more,
we desire to see in both farmers and
farmers homes; and we are confident
that, taking our rural population as
whole, the error is on the side oftoo lit
tie aesthetic culture, especially among
men. The womcn-God bless them
are always foremost in all that tends to
refine and elevate humanity.
So much for general principles. We
wish now to make some practical sug-
gestions whereby the homes of farmers
can be made more attractive, more
comfortable, and every way more valu-
able, without adding materially to the
expense. In the first place, locate the
house where there is a pleasant outlook.
We recently visited the home of we'll
TODD mountain farmer, surrounded by
his thousands of acres and by his fiocks
and herds, and, best of all, by a bevy of
bright children, but his house is located
where the outlook from the living-room
is directly upon the barn and barn-yard,
with no extended and pleasant view in
any direction, and this, too, though
within 80 or 40 rods there is site CONF
handing one of the most magnificent
views in the country. We asked him
why he did not build his house where he
could feast his eyes every moment with
that beautiful prospect. "Oh, twas his
reply, 81 wished to be near my barn,
and, besides, this land is too good to be
covered with buildings" 1t was
q nice mowing-lot, with a beauti-
full grove in the rear to break the
force of the bleak winds, but we could
not see the ''too good" for q house. All
the surroundings of our friend showed
that he lacked aesthetic culture. The
front yard was evidently trysting-
place for his cows, and we had to tread
with care for fear of soiling our shoes.
With little more taste he might make
q delightful home for his family and fill
his house with city boarders who would
pay four-fold better than the COWS that
herd under his windows.
A few trees around the house add not
only to the beauty of country home,
but its comfort, healthfulness and in
trinsic value. We do not like to see
house hidden among trees SO as to shut
out sunshine and landscape; but q clus-
ter of pines here and there, and scatter
ed elms and naples in every direction,
give q charm to q place which every |
man of taste certainly every purchaser |
appreciates. A few dollars well in
vested in trees will add thousand dol
lars in value to almost every farmhouse.
In planting trees take special pains to
hide deformities, and leave an outlook
on every thing pleasant. Plant white
pines on the windward side Of the build
ings. They not only purify the air,
straining out all bad odors and miasm.
but send forth q healthful balsamic in.
5uence, and save much fuel. The pine