Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-07-04
AGRICULTURAL.
lrrRlcrIrE FARM HoMEs.
Hiatt for Improvements In Varions
Little WnyH.

A correspondent Of the New York indie
pendent makes the following suggestions,
which if acted upon as opportunities offer,
would not only do much to make farm life
attractive, but would stimulate a spirit Of
thrift aud enterprise which would keep
both farms aud farmers from falling into a
spirit Of degeneration and decay
Having n large stock Of tulip bulbs few
years ago, and not knowing what to do
with them. ! pushed one down at the roots
Of each straw berry plant in a bed Of four
rods long 10y three wide. The result was a
magnificent flower bed, and the flower stalks
out Of the way before strawberry time.
The bulbs down three or four inches were
quite out Of the way, and as the stalk is slim
aud leaves upright no harmful shading had
been done The bulbs multiplied fast, and
for three years gave such a show as one
might be glad to walk ten miles to see.
When the strawberry bed was exhausted
and new one set, | repeated the expert
meut with equal satisfaction. II is possible
also, to make a clean raspberry garden or
vineyard superbly ornamented with bulbs
Of lilies and tulips and hyacinths. But this
is not all. il any farmer really cares 10 have
his place charming he can.
Plant about the barn grapes to grow on
the walls. and shrubs in the place Of the
piles Of trash and rubbish have just out
side Of my barnyard fence lilac bushes and
ribes and syringas Other shrubs would
do rs well, hut the lilac is easily obtained,
and You will enjoy them, my friend, more
than you will those on the lawns. Once
begin to fix up barnyard and you discover
that there is no reason in the world why it
should be "A mere manure hole and a stink
ing pen 1t may be made not only clean,
but sweet and wholesome. Cows and horses
and even hogs like pleasant surroundings,
and their character is modified by treat
mcnt Of that sort as well as kindness One
thing more, your hired men will be improved
aud heater The milking will be more de
Gently done and come to the house free of
foul odors. Possibly the owner will find
he has himself been gamer he will learn
to abhor dirt, will have higher thoughts
suggested, and be sweeter tempered
Make your vegetable garden also orna
mental In one respect we are behind our
fathers for the old fashioned garden was
gay with saffron and nasturtiums, and very
likely with grass pinks and marigolds /;
while in the corners stood huge bushes of
cinnamon roses and sweet brier But we
have given up the old plan and carried off
our flowers to a special garden or lawn,
leaving our vegetables to themselves. Good
handsome growing vegetables are in them
selves fine sight, and as we cultivate with
the pillow and horse there is no chance for
flower beds, but a row of double English
hollyhocks or Of roses will do no harm, and
will not rob you of any ground they do not
make compensation for.
Native vines are of great use in mprov-
ing the looks of place. The wild grape
vine and the clematis, as well as Virginia
creeper, can always be secured These, if
planted to cover rocks, old trees, stumps,
rail fences, walls of stone, stone fences aud
barn walls will convert them into delightful
masses Of green in summer and scarlet
leaves or fruit in autumn Better yet, in
stead of the wild grapes plant Worden or
Concord or any thoroughly hardy sort, and
get both fruit and beauty, although the fruit
Of the wild grape is excellent for Jelly
1t was not my purpose to plead against
rubbish, waste weeds and brok en- trees, but
| will add that, having begun ornaments
tion, you will probably get your eyes open
to the uusightly nature of such things De
pend on it, old rubbish neglected and &C
cumulating is a character builder. IL YOU
care to educate your family on such things,
let them accumulate. | go frequently by a
large farm where heaps of brush lie for
years and fences are mended only as they
must be aud the orchards look frightful in
stead of winning
Do you know how largely your place or
house depends for its rare beauty on a clean
and handsome highway Our country
roads are rarely what they should be even
as driveways, much less are they orna-
mental. | know many fine house and
yard frlnged with a detestable road of
weeds and stones. 1t is not possible gen
orally to secure neighborly cooperation in
the way of establishing a really fine road
but we can afford to do it ourselves so far
at least as our own front extends
The world ought to he going ahead and
everybody in it ought to he advancing with
it, am sorry to say that good many are
not Degeneration is the lot chosen BY
quite II large fraction and among these are
too many land owners 1t is not difficult
to make each year notable and marked by
special improvement, a new planting, ii
grove, at least trees in fact, a new idea
put into shape is a growing, self renewing
memorial of our own progressive tendencies