Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1881-12-21
Keeping the Buildings and
Fences in Good Shape.

In travelling about the country,
one is often at loss to account Tor
the slovenly appearance OF many
farmers homes. The soil is evil
IDENTIFY productive and well titled
the growing crops show that. But
there is, in spite OF this thriftiness,
an air of neglect given the whole
place by the lack OF order and neat
ness to be seen about the house
and barn. 1t may be that the
house needs a fresh coat Of paint.
Perhaps it has never been painted
at ALL. and the weather stained
boards stare at the passer-by, aud
seem complaining of the treatment
of their owner. Perhaps the gate
is off lis hinges, the fences broken
down, or fortified against intrusion
in weak spots by unsightly poles
The barn door may swing BY one
hinge, the shed may have lost part
Of its boards. One or all Of these
things may conspire to give the
the place an air OF dilapidatiOn and
lack Of thrift which a little labor
and expense would entirely do
away with. The man who has an
ambition to raise good crops ought
10 have an ambition to keep his
farm buildings and his fences i'll
good order. Neatly kept fences
aud buildings add fifty per cent. to
The locks OF a place, TO say nothing
OF the additional value they give
il, in dollars and cents. That tie
condition OF the buildings and
fences on farm have great deal
10 do with the impression Of value
which it makes on visitors IS prov
ed by a case which came under my
observation. a man came into Our
neighborhOod 10 purchase a farm.
There were two for sale. These
farms were OF about equal value So
lar as quality OF soil was concerned,
ard were OF the same size. One
was owned by man who worked
his fields wei and raised fine crops,
hut he paid little attention TO the
condition OF bis buildings and his
itnces. His house needed a fresh
coat OF paint. His barn looked
out at tic elbows. His fences
wee badly III need OF repair: The
impression which one received, III
ridlng by was, that this place was
not a prosperous one. True the
fields showed good crops, but the
impression Of unthritiness remain
ed. The Of er farm belonged to a
man who was careful 10 see that
whenever fence needed repair.
that repair was made. His house
was kept We'll painted. There
were 10 loose ard fapping boards
on bans or sheds. Everything
lad a neat and tidy look. Tie
Consequence was, that after looking
lie TWO places over carefully the
nan bought this farm and gave
considerably more for it than he
could have got the other tor. 1t
was more feltlle, it had hardly the
same advantages Of location. II was
10 larger, but everything about 1t
was in coed condition and it con-
veyed to him, as to others, an idea
of this fitness and prosperity, and
this attention TO little things
brough, to lis former owner a snug
little sum Of money, which repre-
scented the difference in value be-
tween the farm whose houses and
fences are properly cared for and
The farm on which but little atien-
ton is given to such matters.
Tie saving Of money and labor
by attending TO all repairs when
they ale FIRST found TO be needed
is considerable. Ii your house
needs painting, one coat may do
the work now which two coats will
not do by and by. fla fence board
is loose, one nail driven i'll to-day
will fasten ii; If you wait til TO
morrow it may require three 1t Is
The wisest kind OF economy 10 at
tend TO these matters promptly. II
this attention is given, tue place
never gets that seedy AID run
down lCok which characterizes SC
many farmers homes. 1t is mrcf
easier, as well as cheaper, to keeI
a place in repairs than TO wait un
iii a general dilapidation take;
possession OF everything, for the'
every thing has to be 1e-made, II
one sense, and any one who ha'
ever tried to rejuvenate neglected
buildings knows just what th'
bother ard vexa,ion OF doirgit is
Well-hept buildings and fences adj
wonderfully to the attractive aP
pearance Of cur farms, and not onl,
appearance, but definite value il
dollars and cents.-Fmmers' he
vieac.