The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-11-22
YARDS AND GARDENS.
A Sort of Distempered Economy Practiced
BY Too Many Farmers.

A Sort of Distempered Economy Practiced
BY Too Many Farmers.
Most farms are too large; door-yards
and gardens and city and village lots
are too small. Many farmers are
afflicted with distempered economy;
to save land they crowd their houses
almost into the highway-the door
yard in front of:the house is sacrificed
to the cornfield in the rear, but their
saving proclivities seem to abate as
they approach the back part of their
farms, for there you will generally
find land covered with bushes. briers.
brush and old logs that yield no profit.
but are a refuge for predatory animals
that burrow and hide in the daytime
and visit the hennery and garden at
night. If every body in the city, viii
lage and country would consider how
much beauty and utility large, we'll
furnished, well-kept door-yard is capa-
BILE of providing for the benefit of the
owner, his family and passers-by. lit
tie neglected pens in front of the house
would become scarce. There are at
tainable trees. with foliage so beauti-
full, form so exquisite; flowers so fra
grant; grass so green; shrubbery with
such varied excellence. that we must
rec ard it as a frst-class bereavement
to be shut out from their hal
lowed influence. Small front yards
are better than e-tastefully
arranged and well kept. they improve
the situatiOn-but they are very in
significant compared with ample space
adorned with trees and shrubbery
judiciously arranged and properly
cared for. Some varieties of apple
trees and other fruit trees in full bloom
are beautiful, and may properly have
a place in the front yard. but other
trees and shrubs should predominate
The size and conditions of farmers
gardens tell very plainly whether the
owners are trying to enjoy life as they
go along, or are sacrificing for them
selves and family present enjoyments
to vague future anticipations. Too
many spend their lives getting ready
to live; they work and worry. pinch
, and save, intending when their accu-
mutations are large enough to make a
business of enjoying themselves.
When their preparations are nearly
complete. headaches. back aches and
rheumatics sadden their hours; liver
and lung complaints close their career.
A good-sized. well-kept garden
means present enjoyment. 1t pro-
vides necessaries and luxuries for
immediate use; if it has full assert
ment of small fruits it supplies a
family with the best eatables the earth
affords. To do this the garden must
be large. Most farmers gardens are
SO small that fruits for the family CAM
find a place. Peaches, plums. cher
ries and the large family of berries are
not planted because there is no place
to put them on the so. 100 or 200 acre
farm-this is a disgrace. a misfortune
and crime, If projected cities and
villages ever get beyond paper it is of
the utmost Importance that their
streets be wide. parks and pleasure
grounds numerous and ample, and
building-lots big enough to allow the
air to circulate and give space for
trees, grapevines and a few flowers
and vegetables. There is great deal
of land in the world. Pity that more
of it does not get into village and city
limits. Whatever else is contracted
farms are generally too large-the
farmer is burdened with labor and
care; much is left undone that ought
to be done; thinking of things neg
lected prevents the enjoyment of what
is accomplished; many who might
and ought to occupy land are crowded
out. A great increase of the owners
and occupants of land would be an in
calculable blessing to the American
people. Hugh L. Brooks. in N. Y.
Trihr1po