The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1886-03-13

De regarded as natural craving. Artiti-
cial modes of life it is true can destroy
it, but it is apt to reasseIt itself in later
generations. To tens of thousands of
bread, winners in cities country home
is the dream of tue future, the crown
and reward of their life toll. Increasing
numbers ale taking what would seem to
be the wiser course, and are combining
rural pleasures and advantages with their
business. As the questions Of rapid
transit are solved, the welfare of chill
dren will turn the scale more and more
often against the conventional city house
or fiat. \ home can be created in rented
dwellings and apartments, but home
for which we have the deed, a cottage
surrounded by trees, flowers, lawn and
garden is the refuge which best satisfies
the heart. BY means of such suburban
nook we can keep up our relations with
Nature and all her varied and health
giving life. The tired man, returning
from business, finds that his excited
brain will not cease to act. He can en-
JOY restoring rest in complete diversion
of his thoughts: he Can think of this
tree or that plant, and how he can fill to
advantage unoccupied spaces with other
trees, flowers and vegetables. If there
placid trust, good roadster to whinny
for an airing, and flock of chickens to
clamor about his feet for their supper,
his iangling nerves will be quieted in
spite of all the bulls and bears of Wall
street Best of all, he will see that his
children have air and space i'll which to
grow naturally BEAUTIFULLY His fruit
trees will testify to his wisdom in provid
ing a country home. For instance, he
will observe that if sound plums are left
in contact with stung and decaying spc-
cimens they, too, will be infected; he
will see that too close crowding renders
the prospect for the good fruit doubtful;
and. by natural transition of thought,
will be glad that his boys and girls are
not shut in to the fortuitous associations
of hallway and street.
The area of land purchased will dc
pend largely on the desires and purse of
the buyer, but about one acre appears to
satisfy the majority of people. This
amount is not so great that tie business
man is burdened with care, nor is its
limit so small that he is cramped and
thwarted by line fences. If he can give
to his bit of Eden but little thought and
money he will find that an acre can be
so laid out as to entail comparatively
small expense in either the one or the
other; if he has the time and taste to
make the land his play ground as well as
that of his children, scope is afforded for
almost infinite variety Of pleasing labols
and interesting experiments. When we
come to cowork with Nature all we do
pertinent. The labor of the year is a
game of skill into which also enter the
fascinating elements of apparent chance.
What a tree, flower or vegetable bed
will give depends chiefly upon us, yet all
the vicissitudes of dew, rain, frost aud
sun have their part in the result. We
| play the game with Nature, and she will
usually let us win if we are not careless,
ignorant, or stupid. She keeps up our
zest by never permitting the game to be
played twice under the same conditions
| We can no more carry on our garden this
season precisely as we did last year than
4 captain can sail his ship exactly as he
did on the preceding voyage. \ coun-
| try home makes even the weather inter
esting, and the rise and fall of the mer-
curry is watched with scarcely less solicit
tude than the mutations of the market.
In this paper and in those which may
ensue merely hope to make some useful
suggestions and give practical advice
| the result of experience, my own and
others' which the reader can carry out
and modify according to his Judgment.
We will suppose that all acre has been
bought, that it is comparatively level,
with nothing OF especial value upon it
in brief, that the home and its surround
ings are still to be created
1t is not within my design to treat of
the dwelling, its architecture, etc, but
we shall have something to say further
on in regard to it's location. Before pur.
chasing, the most careful investigations
should be made as to the healthfulness
of the region ard the opportunities for
thorough drainage. Having bought the
acre, the question of removing all undue
accumulations of water on or beneath
the surface should be attended to at first.
The dry appearance of the soil during
much of the year may be misleading. 1t
should be. remembered that there are
eouinoctial storms and melting SHOWS.
| Superintendent moisture at every period
should have channels of immediate
ESCAPE. for moisture in excess is an in
Jury to plant as well as to family life.
while thoroughly and quickly drained
land endures drought far better than
that which is rendered heavy and sorr
by water staguating beneath the surface
Tile drains are usually the cheapest and
most effective, but if there are stones
and rocks upon the place they can be
utilized and disposed of at the same time
by their burial in bitches, and they
should be covered SO deeply that plow,
although sunk TO the beam, can pass over
them. Tiles or the top of stone drain
should be at least two feet below the sur
face. If the ground of the acre is ur-
derlaid with a porous sub soil, there is
usually an adequate natural drainage.
Making haste slowly is often the quick
est way to desired results. 1t is the
usual method to erect the dwelling first,
and afterward to subdue and enrich the
ground gradually. This, in many in
stances, may prove the best course, but
when it is practicable should advise
that building re deferred until the land
with the exception Of the spaces to be
occupied with the house and BARN can