Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-08-14
MAKING IT ATTRACTIVE.
Of the Farm . Source Of
Revenue in Dollars and Cents.

characterization of the Farm . Source Of
Revenue in Dollars and Cents.
That ornament does not pay is q
common notion among farmers, and it
.is a correct mi it the result is meas
ured by immediate return in dollars
and cents. If q lar regards an in
crease in the value of his real estate as
profit, however, there are few OUTLAWS
which will bring such returns as judi
cious crnamenting. 1t is fully as i'm
portant to s'put the best side OUT in
transfers of real estate as in transfers
OF horses or fruits. Establishment is
worth more in rendering a farm at
tractive than is a fine harness in show
ing off a horse. from the fact that the
establishment is part and parcel of the
farm itself. Every one has observed
the superior readiness with which Hastily
ornamented farms sell. The differences
in market value between such farms
and similar n which possess no or
naments often amount to twenty-five
Or even fifty per cert. of what may be
termed the intrinsic values. Even If
one expects to sell his farm, iu-
dicious establishment is a source of
profit as an advertisement of the owner
and his crops. Many of the most sue
cessful fruit-growers and stockmen un-
derstand this fact. Advertising is as
profitable in farming as in any other
pursuits, and farmers ought to know
it. A beautiful place at once attracts
notice; people become interested In it.
Fruit from such a place is usually more
priced than from shiftless farms. The
idea that the simple planting of trees
and shrubs comprises the whole
of rural embellishments is an
other common fallacy. The effective
planting of home grounds requires
a higher art than simple good taste.
Landscape gardening is as truly a fine
art as is painting or architecture. Few
people have a genius for this work, and
it is not to be expected that every
farmer will lay out his grounds in the
best taste. But he should realize the
fact that planting requires thought and
study, and he should know that the
haphazard planting of trees in his door
yard is not necessarily ornamental or
useful. To give full instruction on this
point would be to write a treatise on
landscape art. 1t will suffice to name
some common errors.
Building too near the road is the first
and worst. There is too much of q dis
position to ''save land'' for corn and
potatoes. This economy is often short
sighted. 1t is like storing the cob and
throwing away the n Afarm-house
can not present a good appearance un-
less it stands four or five rods or more
back from the road. Such a situation
is also a matter of great convenience in
escaping dust, and noise. and publicity.
The disposition to make everything
straight is almost, universal. Straight
walks and drives and straight rows of
trees are never seer in nature, and
they are entirely out of place in the
farmers yard. This formal, or geo
metric style, demands close attention
to all its details. The walks, drives,
lawns, trees and buildings must always
be in the most perfect order. A neg
lected corner or ill-shaped tree at once
jars with all its surroundings. In the
natural or informal style, however. ir-
Irregularities often heighten the effect.
Much less labor and expense are re-
CURED to keep all it's parts in har-
Observation-Disclosures Press.