The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-06-29
The "lrrOnt Yard"

The old style front yard, with Its M
menscly, high fence, and its sweet briar,
southern"wood and morning glories, served
good purpose in its day. But we want
to see clearing up OF these old front yards;
we want the high fences removed, the
ground graded, and neat walks laid out
across the little lawn that will be thus
formed. Love the old-timc shrubs, and
pconics and roses to be sure, but add also
some small attempts ut modern ornamental
gardening, and see if the front yard does
not afford you lar greater satisfaction than
it has ever done. But this single instance
is by no means, Il representative of all the
farm homes in the land. In how many,
many cases, even among those who arc
styled independent farmers, are the door
yards exposed to the highway, often filled
with wood, lumber, tools, farm implements,
weeds, hens and sand. Not thought is
ever given them, not an effort ever put
forth to keep them neat, much less to en-
bellisll or adorn them with flowers, shrubs,
climbing vines and the like. 1t is so much
cause for surprise that the boys and girls
leave these homes; that there is no inn
provcmcnt, and little s0ciubility in such Il
nclghDorhoodf 1t is Il very correct obscr-
vation, that the front yard is All index of the
home and the home life. 1t may not be 50
completely an index of the style of farming
which the owner practices, because the
hard work of the farm is one thing, and
the beauty of the home surroundings is
another man may be an excellent far
mer, have good cattle, keep his fields in
TRIM condition, nhd yet have no particular
idea OF neatncss about the front yard. The
spirit which manifcsts itself in bcaulifying
| the grass plot ut the front door, setting ont
lew rose bushes, and sowing few papers
0 Hover seeds, usually resides within the
house, but ii must he rcciproCatcd from
that without, or little can be accomplished.
Some hard work must he done, which the
wife and daughter cannot do; there is
dressing to be provided, spadng to bc done,
and some cleaning up about the premises,
which is of too heavy nature for the "wom-
en- foks' to perform. This must be done
by the strong arms of the men, An hour
or two after supper, for a few days, will
work wonders at this garden preparation
and with the heavy work out Of the way
That of planting out, sowing seeds, and
after care can be almost wholly attended to
ny faircr hands. DO not put this Off as of
no consequence. IT is the one thing about
The farm that is sure to pay. There is an
actual money value to neat yard, a little
lawn, to climbers, to roses, to bed of yer,
bcnas, to geraniums. You may not ca,
them yourself, they may not help feed your
cattle, but they Will feed the soul, and the
mind and heart under their refining inllu
cncc will bc improved, elevated, and made
better. ~ single front yard neatly kept,
and holding few beds Of pansics, phlox,
carnations and glatliolus, is good mission
airy station for al entire ncghho:hood; and
sociabillly, gcntlcncss, refinement and love
Will flow out from such home and such a
garden, rs naturally no warmth from u
heated stove. 1t will be the centre of at
traction and good influence all through the
summer, and The home itself will be hap
pier, and the inmates better for the pure
influences of plants and ilowcm Don't
neglect to trim up the front yard, provide
few Hover beds, and keep the home sur
roundngs in neat condition all the time.
One of these days, you will find yourself
loving and caring for flowers, and a better
farmer for it all.