Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-02-22
A Few Aids to Comfort.

The dwellings and grounds about the
houses of farmers do not compare, in the
matter of convenience, with those of per
sons OF equal or even less wealth who live
III cities and villages. The consequence
is that farmers wives work much harder
than they need to, while they cannot keep
their houses in as good order as they de-
sire. 1t is rare to find house of any pre-
tensions outside the country that is not
connected with the street and with all the
out bulldlngs on the premises by good
walks. On farms it is not unusual to find
good houses to reach which or to 90 from
which one must walk through dew or dust
during the summer, and through mud or
snow during the winter. OF course it is
difficult to keep these houses clean If
they are carpeted the carpets must be fire.
quentiy taken up and beaten. If the
floors are not covered with carpets, they
must be washed nearly every day The
cost Of the work required for these opera
tons during year, not to speak of the
loss of materials, would build good walks
from each door to the street and to each of
the out-buildings.
A good walk not less than four feet
wide should connect the front door with
the gate leading to the street. 1t should
be provided with scrapers for cleaning
the feet, and mat should be spread on
1t near the entrance to the house An
other walk should lead round the house to
the back door, and be at such a distance
from the house that rain from the roof
will not fall on it. From the back door
walks should extend to the we'll, stable,
barn and the building in which the fuel
is kept. Scrapers and mats should be
placed near the entrance to the kitchen.
Our observation is that no walks serve
the purpose so well as tn ose made of two
| inch plank nailed to scantling placed on
top of the ground. If the scantlipg rest
on brick or flat stone, they will last much
| longer. Walks made of brick, stone or
asphalt look better, particularly if they
are bordered by flowers, but they are
more expensive. Gravel walks are ex-
pensive if they have good foundation,
and need constant attention to keep them
IN repair and to prevent the growth of
grass and weeds. A gravel walk leading
to the garden is to be desired, as it is
only used in summer. A plank walk is
easily kept clean at all times Standing
some inches from the surface of the
ground, the snow can be easily removed
| from it by a shovel, when few hours
sunshine will render it dry. 1t can be
swept as easily as any floor, and can con-
| sequently always present neat appear
ance. Walks of this kind should be
erected about every farmhouse before the
| first snowfall.
Many farm houses have no conveniences
for supplying water. 1t is sometimes
brought from a spring several rods away,
and at other times is obtained from we'll
by means Of a bucket and hand-pole.
Wooden pumps are very cheap at pres
ent, costing less than half what they did
few years ago, and every well should
be supplied with one. No kitchen has
any claim to be called convenient or COM
Portable that is not supplied with a sink
| to which water is brought by pipe and
delivered by pump, and from which the
water passes out through a discharge
pipe. A kitchen can be supplied with
water and with conveniences for carrying
waste water away for one-tenth the money
a reaping- machine costs. A pump for the
kitchen will save more labor than a reap
ng-machine and will outlast it by many
years, and that without repairs. For
some time past, farmers have been well
nigh prodigal in expanding money in
ways to save labor in the field. 1t is quite
time that they gave attention to saving
labor in the house.-ChicGgO Times.