Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1888-07-12
RURAL ECONOMY.
Improve and Beautify the Farm.
Hardy Native Shrubs and Trees That Can Be
Employed for ornamenting Places-r The
I Grass Crop, Etc.
Improving tho Farm.

Grass Crop, Etc.
Improving the Farm.
While ornamental trees aud shrubs
are covered with flowers and foliage Is
| the best time to mako selections
for planting on the farm with
view of identifying it. Tho ap-
pearanoe of place can be great
ly improved by planting ornamental
trees and shrubs in places where they
will show to the best advantage. AS a
rule they will present the most attrac-
tive appearance when planted in clus-
tiers or clumps. 1t Is not necessary to
obtain costly trees and shrubs of foreign
origin for this purpose. They are less
likely to prove hardy than those that
are indigenous. and few OF them are rs
beautiful. Almost every part of the
country abounds in very beautiful small
trees and large shrubs suitable for Or
namenting farms. If not on the flat
prairies they can be found along any
of the water courses or in the newest
forests. They arc easily transplanted
and many of them can DO readily pro-
pagated by seeds or cuttings.
They require no cultivation except
keeping the ground free from weeds
and grass; need little pruning and no
protection.
The common sumach grows well on
rocky hills, gravelly knobs, or any dry
land, and presents fine appearance
during most of the year. The leaves
are very large. and in the fall their
color changes from green to yellow.
brown and red. The clusters of fruit
are highly ornamental. and remain on
the branches till late in the winter A
fine contrast with the sumach is afford
ed by the elderberry bush. The stalks
are smooth and very pretty. the foliage
abundant and fine, the blossoms pure
white and fragrant and the berries
highly ornamental and useful for many
purposes. A ciump OF elders sur
rounded by sumachS presents very
prm appearance from early spring till
winter Both plants are cleanly and
hardy. There are twenty-five varieties
of the dogwood tree in this country.
and there are few localities where
three or four kinds are not found.
Few of them grow more than fifteen
feet high. and all of them are very Or
namental. Their leaves, flowers and
fruit are all very beautiful. They APP
pear to do best on tolerably moist and
rich sol.
The hawthorn has been praised by
all tho English poets from Chauccr to
iinnurtaH pl,
to every landscape in Great Britain.
1t was the favorite shrub for planting
70 form hedges. In them it served all
the purposes of beauty aud utility. Tho
English hawthorn, however, did not
prove to be serviceabe hedge plant
in this country The cold W nlers and
hot. dry summers did not agree with
it. When severely pruned, as it needs
to be to make q thick hedge, the
trunk and branches become scorched
by the sun and are liable to be killed.
1t has also many insect enemies in
this country. We have, however.
about dozen native species of
hawthorn in this country. any of
which are worthy of place on the
farm. In point of beauty they have
few equals among the. trees and
shrubs. Their wood Is so firm that it
is not liable to injury of any kind.
These trees make very good screens.
but they are deserving of attcnt on for
their beauty alone Trees suitable for
transplanting can be obtained of
nurserymen on the borders of forests or
gcrminates slowly. and should be
buried in bags in cool. shady place,
aud allowed to remain from the fall in
which it is gathered till Il year from
the next spring.
The red bud or Judas tree is remark
able for producing blossoms i'll the
spring before it does leaves. 1t is quito
common in southern Ill nois. where it
becomes n stately tree. AS it is re-
moved north it is dwarfed b. the cold.
but produces as many flowers rs speci-
moDs found further south. A few
specimens of the mountain ash and
high cranberry are worth obtain
ing and plant ng for the beauty of
their fruit. The common buckeye and
the horse chestnut are very desirable
on account of their shape and beauty
of their leaves. They can be easily
raised from seed. None Of tho ever
greens need any commentator. They
are beautiful ut ali seasons of the
year. Those of large size are expen-
sive when obtained of nurserymen and
transported long distances, but small
ones can be bought at low rates and
can be cultivated in rows till they are
large enough to set out when they are
wanted. There is little difficulty in
raising the red cedar from seed, and
the trees will grow among rocks and in
many places where most trees fail. As
ornaments to pastures they have few
superiors and animals are not likely to
injure them.
A few white birches present very
fine appearance. Common and honey
locust and the three horned acacia
present very fine appearance late in
the season. but they are slow to put
out leaves in the spr.ng. They can all
be readily raised from seed. few
clusters of lilacs and snowb balls will add
great beauty to a field or meadow, and
they are both easily raised from layers
or cuttings. 10 produce a large num-
Der of fine blossoms they should stand
in ground that is not shaded and which
that there is no money in any OF these
things. 1t is certain that no man ua
revenue in dollars and cents can be do
rined from them. But they are con-
stant sources of pleasure. They rend-
or the farm beautiful and attractive
and greatly add to its value. Most
persons seeking farm to live on will
paw much more for one ornamented
b. Towering shrubs and bv fine ever
green's and deciduous trees.
The Hay Harvest
From present appearances the hay
crop will be very large this season
throughout the northwest if not in all
parts of the country. There are re-
ports that timothy and clover were
killed in some places BY the drought
of last summer and the cold OF last