River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1888-12-20
WORKING TO A PLAN.
SOmo Wholesome Advice for ThOughtless
Farmers and Gardeners.

Farmers and Gardeners.
Before a person commences to erect
a building of any considerable size he
draws a plan of it or employs an
architect to make one. The same
thing is done if an individual or cor
poration sets out to build bridge.
An engineer lays out a railroad before
any work of grading is done on it. A
surveyor is employed to mark the line
of a common wagon road. Surveyors,
engineers and landscape gardeners are
engaged for laying out public and
private parks. They carefully meas
ure the ground, get the level of every
portion of it, arrange for ponds and
elevations. and locate the paths and
drives. The landscape gardener not
only designates where to have trees
planted, but marks on large map the
kinds that are to be set out. Several
thousand dollars are generally spent in
preparing plans for large park be-
fore single hours work is done.
Sometimes the park is erected on a
small scale, so as to afford better
idea of it than can be given on map
or chart.
But map of farm on which the
owner expects to spend most of his
life, raise crops. keep stock. entertain
friends. and find enjoyment for him
self and family is seldom made. Often
the boundaries OF It are not definitely
fixed or marked by monuments. In
some cases fences are erected rod or
more from the true lines. The first
occupant plows pieces of land here
and there as is most convenient or
most promising of producing crops.
Temporary buildings are put up with
out considering where is the place for
them. As a cellar is dug and a well
sank the site for buildings is never
changed, though in many respects il
proves to be a very inconvenient and
unsuitable one. Soon a garden is
made, some trees, bushes and shrub
berry planted on the place that was not
selected with proper care. Division
fences are put up. not on straight lines
nor inclosing a definite number OF
acres. AS there is no plan to work on
the farm always presents bad appear
ance Quite likely it will prove to be
an inconvenient place to manage.
The boundaries of every farm should
be established by competent surveyor
before any fences are erected or any
land plowed. A map of the farm should
then be made, showing the elevations
and depressions, the springs and
streams, if there are any. The site for
the farm buildings should be then Sc
lected, regard being had for pleasant
view. good drainage, protection from
the wind. and supply Of water. The
spot should be chosen that will make
IL convenient to reach the travelled
road and to go to the different fields
and pastures. If the land is level the
fields should be made TO contain
a definite number of acres. The own
err can then calculate definitely how
much time will be required to pillow
each and can estimate the yield per
acre. The ground designed for plant
ing to fruit and timber trees should be
selected and marked on the map. So
should that which is to be devoted TO
raising small fruits and garden vege-
tables.
After the general plan of the farm
has been made attention should be
given TO working up details The
matter of ornamenting the place with
trees and shrubs should be considered
Winter affords lessons for making
plans for farms. Good ideas can often
be obtained by visiting places that
have been improved in a systematic
manner. which presents pleasant ap-
pearance, and which are convenient to
work CHICAGO Tunes,