Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-02-06

/ The Identifying and adjoining Of farm
| houses is an art that is little known and less
practiced by the majority of our farmers.
do not refer exclusively to mere internal
adornment, the creation Of pure taste for
| pictures, statuary and beautiful furniture, for
| believe that the taste of farmers runs as
promptly in this direction, when they have
the means to crafty it, as that Of any other
/ class of persons, and the fair sex will usually
| attend promptly to the development of such
a taste refer more especially to the exter
nal adjoining of farm places rs being more
particularly within the province of the strong
err sex There are many reasons why this
! subject should receive more attention than il
does. A great many. things may be accom-
plishod in adjoining our homes, that cost
nothing but the necessary labor and labor on
a farm means little more than the time en-
ployed. A great many things can be done
that will not only enhance the beauty of the
farm (and that means increased love Of the
farmer and the farm children for the old
place but will also do much towards increas-
ing its value, should it be offered for sale.
There is large class of people who are apt
to be deferred from purchasing farms where
the dwelling house is Ganlied on one side by
the horse barn, and on the other by the COW
barn, while the pig sly is conveniently situa-
ted in the rear, 1t may be a good thing as
matter of convenience, TO have the stables
close to the house, it is so very convenient
in caring for the stock. On the farm, large
portion of the farmers time is consumed ev-
cry winter in going back and forth between
the barn and the house. One of my enter
prising friends who has given this matter
some attention, actually moved his barns
nearer his house, at considerable expense in
order to save this extra labor l question
whether he has enhanced the value Of his
farm. l certainly know he has not improved
its beauty. 1t may be very useful to have the
pig sty near the kitchen door-it makes it so
handy in disposing of the kitchen refuse and
Stops. But there are some people so very
fastidious and over-nice, that they would &C
tually find this arrangement Objectionable.
This may be nonsense yet if we have farms
to sell, and one of this over-fastidious class is
an intending purchaser we might find it use
full to pay some little attention TO his whims
on this subject.
The stables and out-buildings may be just
as completely separated from the house as if
they were not upon the same farm. On nine
farms out of ten the house is situated close
to the highway. Now, instead of reaching
the barns by going past the house, it is much
more convenient to have the barns also sit
uated close to the highway. This renders it
much easier to avoid too great proximity to
the house; or rather any distance that may
intervene between the house ard the barn
appears much greater This arrangement
can be made much more convenient than if
the buildings were deposited at random in
the closest possible proximity to the house.
Tho correct idea is to have the barns and all
the stables containing stock open into a COM
mon yard. If a separate enclosure is desra-
BILE for any kind of stock as hogs or sheep.
it is easily provided. On all well regulated
farms there is a large amount of work to be
attended to about the barns and BARNARD
There is great deal of heavy team work,
such as hauling manure, grain and hay, that
ought not to be done near the house. And
yet am familiar with many farms on which
the buildings are so located that of necessity
there is well worn road from the barns close
by the house to the public highway, destroy
ing all prospects of a lawn in any suitable To-
cation near the house.
1t is no particular advantage to any farm to
have thesgoslngs, young ducks and chickens
pennod up in the front yard. 1t may be con-
venient for the housewife, but l question
whether any farmers wife would consent to
modations were provided Why is it that so
many farmers make practice of using the
front yard for grazing ground for calves, or
perhaps pet lamb or some other animal not
allowed to run in the pasture with the other
stock! 1t may not be a common sight in
other sections, and l hope it is not but
am familiar with the appearance of front
yards, trenched and furrowed to such a de-
gree as to be useless for any purpose, simply
by allowing the hogs access to the place for
few hours. If there is any space, however
small, between the house and the street, rest
assured that the poorest possible use to which
it could be put is to use it for a stock yard.
Another mistaken idea which some farmers
indulge, is that the front yard is an excellent
place for vegetable garden The first step
towards the improvement of our country
homes is to Danish all these things to their
proper places. All young poultry may be
kept in q poultry yard provided for them
Calves and all the other stock should not be
allowed near the house. As good vegetables
may be grown in the rear of the house as in
the front; and if the farmer is proud of lis
success in raising early peas and large squash
es, and Is unable to rest quietly unless his
neighbor also rejoices in his success, then l
say TO such man, take your neghbor out
and show your garden, but do not seek ad-
miration by having your garden where every
one driving along the highway must see it.
The first thing that strikes an observer is
the fence separating the grounds from the
street, and the fence usually employed on
country places is such that it is useless to at
tempt any farther improvement. There are
many and varied designs of ornamental fen
ces economical enough for this purpose. If
it is impossible to procure a suitable design
for CIV IL. l. -, Il
without country place may be made very
pretty with no street fence. 1t may be ar
gued that stray animals might injure the
shrubbery, but l do not think the danger
great. And 1t is not necessary that the front
yard, which should be used as a lawn should
be occupied with flowers or statuary to any
extent. A very pretty lawn can be arranged
if there is an abundance of good smooth sod,
little shrubbery and some rustic work The
hrst cost of grass on a farm is usually rated
as nothing The cost of few pretty shrubs
is a small item to farmers. Many of the more
common sorts can be obtained from neigh
boring groves; rarer and more beautiful va
rieties can be obtained from nurserymen for
perhaps fifty cents apiece. There is nothing
gained in the effect produced by crowding a
large quantity of shrubbery into small space.
few well-selected shrubs, properly dispos-
ed, always produce better effect A few
rustic chairs and benches conveniently placed,
will not only be found very useful, but also
produce pleasing effect No very elegant
designs are necessary, but something simple
and substantial. Almost any farmers boy,
with few tools and some natural tact in us
ing them, can perform the necessary work
Open ground should be left for croquet or
some other pleasant lawn game, and once
set tho posts and wires should not be remov-
ed. An arbor covered with some strong
growing vine, and located in some convenient
portion of the lawn, will always be found
source of enjoyment-F. A. NoreldRd IN
Country Gentleman.
FARM DRUDGERY IN HANOVER. Without
CXcnnLinn- the meIhnls of cnlLiNatinn nrl-