The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-01-21
Tho House and the Grounds.

Tho House and the Grounds.
TIE farmhouse should be convenient
and comfortable. What it should have
in the way of ornament should depend
on the owners means. But the idea OF
farmhouse precludes much of orna-
mentation, because the ordinary farm
er's life is life of steady labor rather
than of retired ease, elegance and
'ssociety." Himself and family are
workers with limited means-that Is,
means limited to rather narrow num-
her of thousands of dollars-and any
thing elaborate in household decoration
is almost sure to be attended by dis
comfort in some other direction, mental
anxiety, or neglect of expense in other
matters which would s'pay' far better
in the value of the farm, the cultured
enjoyment of the owner and his family,
and their reputation for that refined
taste which gives character to neighbor-
hoods and communities. i
The things which cost most in house
building do not relate 80 much to mere
comforts and conveniences, or even to
space, as to the decoration-or what is
intended for that. And even then it is
not the material as much as the work.
The moment plainness and simplicity
are departed from, a heavy bill for
labor is run up. The corners, and
angles and gables, pinnacles and cupo-
las, hooded windows and balconies,
blinds outside and blinds inside, mold
ings and carvings here, there and every
vUh yhof fho
that alarm the farmer. And generally
these adornments are not sought be-
cause of any real appreciation of what
is elegant and tasteful, but, instead, an
idea founded probably on the architects
representations, that such is ssthe style
of the PERIOD" and that.the owner will
"miss it, if he does not follow it. But
unless q man is easily able to pay for
all that he or his family imagine they
need at such times, with plenty left, he
will s'miss it, most in attempting to
comply.
Better than this architectural frippery
is modest dwelling in the midst of
grounds handsomely laid out, and plant
ed with trees, flowers, shrubbery and
hedges. Nobody in the wide world =.
none at least whose opinions are worth
needing will object to that kind of Or
namentation. OF course there will be
different grades of excellence, and
family undertaking to reform. neglected
grounds may not succeed as well as
landscape gardener, but every earnest
attempt is commendable, and will re-
suit in good. There will be no failure,
because something is emphatically bet
ter than nothing in such work. But if q
person has no very clear idea of what he
wants, or what should be done, he can
easily get assistance in the way of sug-
gestions. Some good and enterprising
neighbor may be able to give valuable
hints, and be delighted to do it. While
something of general plan should be
adopted at the start, it can be worked
out by degrees from year to year. The
first step should be to order such varie-
ties of nursery stock as may be wanted,
buying only small trees or plants, and
giving them nursery culture at home.
Large stock will cost heavily, both at
the nursery and in freight, and con-
siderable proportion of it will die the
first year. Small deciduous ornamental
trees, say one or two feet high, will
probably not cost one-tenth as much as
those seven or eight feet high, and when
transplanted at home with decent care,
they are about as sure to live as cab
bage plant. They will, too, have a mass
of fibrous roots not often seen in nursery
trees, or at least which live to reach the
buyer. Transplanted at home there
will be, comparatively, only slight
check in growth, and one can better
choose his time for doing it than if or
dering in the spring, when the stock may
be so late in coming that its proper care,
when it comes, will seriously interfere
with the regular farm work.
When it is proposed to begin the work
the location, or relocation, of
the buildings should receive the most
serious study. Sometimes-very often,
is no choice in the mat
ter, owing to the expense of changes;
but when there is choice it is q mis-
take to choose site as near the high
way as possible. Get away from it,
rather than near it. There is a better
chance then for lawn, trees, drive.
ways, paths, hedges and shrubbery.
Usually no reason can be given for
house close to the road, ex-
cept to better see who travels it, and
that is not creditable reason anyway.
This hankering to see all who pass, fiat
tening noses against the windows to
effect it, is always in bad taste. It be-
speaks vacant mind, as much so as the
loud laugh. A house standing 80 far
back, or so hidden that its inmates can
see little or nothing of what passes on
the highway, is an indication that they
have something on their minds more
and instructive than merely to
watch passers-by. Extreme curiosity
of this sort is discreditable, and if the
exists it would be wise to
hide it. A location 200 or 800 feet from
the road is better than 40 or SO feet,
while, if circumstances are favorable,