The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1886-08-20
n4sDss ss.s ~ IMPROVEMENTS

Nothing country landscape shows
81 much ,Ae taste III Tie inhabitants as the
adornment-or the lack. displayed in the
Surroundings Of tie homestead A friend
onee said 80 mt ia passing two houses of
very opposite appearance. that she did not
need to 60 inside 10 tell The character Of the
inmates, and her Judgment was correct.
The household makes tic home what il is,
and its influence IS forever stamped upon
those who live b. the hearthstone, and will
live IN the memory Of the children through
all theirlivcs The adornment OF a country
home by planting trees, shrubs and fruit
trees, 10y keeping a well-cut greensw ard,
and towering vines and plants, can never
be oyer-estimated Bat if miist be done
with system aud with a view 10 what the
result will be WHEN they have grown larger
and take more room.
I know a cottage, where one fine spring
the ev ner planted a row Of Mountain ash
close to the parlof windows. In a few years
they grew 50 strong and dense as to over
shade" the house the branches tapping on
the panes of glass at the bedroom " windows.
and last year he ent them all down and the
house stands non, bare and ansladed. II
these trees had been planted outside the
sidewalk. they would still have been near
enough to the house, and a shade to every
Passer-bY. Nothing gives a better tone TO
the appearance OF a country home than a
Well-kept lawn-but it needs persistent ef-
fort, a good lawn mower. and the viii to
work it. Boys as a rule object to the lawn
moving as much as a dog does to cfurning,
and generally have a dozen other things on
hand if wanted for that purpose. But If
promise Of regular, il small. remuneration
every time the implement IS used, and the
boy pride in the neatness Of the home
stead is aroused, if Is very likely there will
not be any difficulty. There should, if pos
sii,ie, be 4 little slope. as ilatness is always
aiinteresting, and shrubs that flower at
various seasons can add great beauty at
little cost. 1t is not always money that
adds all the charm and grace 10 adorn the
home. 1t is the Individuality Of the inhab-
itants impressed by their work upon the
land, as the brush Of an artist gives char
acter to the picture he paints.
The home exerts an influence for good or
evil upon the young, and in after years
children will remember The time spent there
rs the brightest or darkest years Of their
lives. How important then to make The
surroundings pleasant. And il they are
taught TO help plant the grounds, to tend
the garden and 70 plan for home improve
ment, they VIII hage an added interest in
it.
This is the tree | helped papa plant on
Nellie birthday, THAT is the vine we
put ia when Harry was 10 years old z are
land marks IN a life history that live 10 its
latest page.
know an orchard, too. that Vas planted
by the growing boys aud girls at a time
when help could not be procured, and they
take greater pride in it thaa in any Of the
Older orchards that we're planted by hire
lings. 1t is something tangible as a result
of their work. So let the children be
taught to embellish the home. to learn the
art OF a~dornmeiit, 70 keep neat fences, tidy
dooryartis, 70 avoid throwing rubbish about
or allowing ,nlsightly objects 10 be about
tfie premises. Il is just as easy as the othe
way, and forms habits q fidlless and
thrift tha: will be a lesson well learned.
Not those homes where The most money is
spent, bat those where the most good taste
Is displayed are best, and the omne Of a
country home is amply repaid with inter-
est for every ltour spent on useful and
beautifying inaproveInents.-Aaafs T.. lack
~ orr Nona9y Home.