The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-04-12
MAKE SURROUNDINGS ATTRACTIVE.
The Money Value Of Rural Improvements
Considered.

contains "a tnOuEhtIul essay on the actudi
money to be made by improving country
roads and making village and farm sur
roundings attractive. The writer says:
One Of the strongest considerations in
favor of preserving the forests in noun
tain regions like that of New Hampshire
is that they offer irresistible inducement
to people in the city who are looking for
summer resorts. Many people have
come to consider n summer residence
among the hills as essential to their COM
fort as winter home in the city, and
the growing practice among those who
cannot afford to support more than one
establishment Of spending some weeks
or months away from the confinement
of city life, makes it matter of impor-
lance that provision should be made fS'
those who find health and pleasure in
the woods and amid the scenery of wild
nature.
1t would be hard TO estimate the direct
pecuniary advantage which a state like
New Hampshire derives from this tide
of summer travel which flows towards
her mountains all summer long. Every
one of these visitors, in some way or
other, helps the entire community upon
which he depends for certain time each
year for his pleasure and subsistence;
and it would not be difficult to prove that
the actual and prospective revenue de-
rived from this source is 30 important
that the value Of the material products
of the forests of the state, even under the
wisest management, would be insigniti-
cant by comparison.
But it should not be forgotten that
there are thousands of people from the
cities who, instead of resorting to noun.
tain and forest regions, or to the shores
Of the ocean prefer to spend their sum-
mers in quiet country villages and farm
houses. OF course it is quite as much to
the interest of rural communities to
make their neighborhood attractive as It
is for the owners of sea coast and noun
be considered as the chief reason for eff
forts to improve the appearance and add
to the convenience and comfort of coun-
try towns. Societies for rural improve
ment accomplish good work when they
brighten in any way what is often the
dull side Of country life.
Every attempt to beautify the sur
roundings of country homes and make
them attractive brings its own reward in
the happier life of those who inhabit
these homes. But apart from this there
is a tangible business advantage to be
gained by country villages when they
are made specially attractive to city Wis.,
itors; and this profit accrues not to the
village alone, but to all the surrounding
region, when the farm houses are open
to paying occupation and market is
provided for the products of the farm.
1t happens in this way that to the popu-
lation of large district it is matter of
actual profit to have the neighboring
villages and towns made attractive.
The first work in this direction is to
improve the roads 80 that there is some
pleasure, or at least some comfort, in
travelling abroad. A visitor who reaches
a village over muddy and rough high
way receives no good impression of it,
and as the road is also the last thing as
well as the first thing which attracts his
attention, bad roads are among the most
repellant and disagreeable features which
any community can present. But where
the roads are smooth and hard, with
little dust and mud, and where good
footpaths abound, strong inducement
is presented to those who love to pass
much time in the open air.
OF course this is but one feature of the
reform in any community. Shady
walks, roadsides clean and bordered with
shrubs, where this is practicable; farm
yards free from unsightly objects, gar
dens neatly planted and kept-all these
things not only delight the eye, as mani
festations of beauty and order always
do, but they suggest a cleanliness and
propriety in all the details of life, and a
proper regard for health and comfort;
they give assurance of good drainage and
pure air, and all other conditions which
make n sojourn in the country desirable
and beneficial.
Now, inasmuch as all the inhabitants of
a given district are interested in matters
of this sort, combined action is naturally
suggested. The influence of personal ex-
ample is undoubtedly great, and many a
man, by the proper ordering of his own
grounds, has set pattern which has
been followed by his neighbors until an
entire community has been regenerated.
But, after all, these matters can be much
more efficiently carried on if it is done
in an organized way. Many town in
New England and in the middle states
has become prosperous because wealthy
men from distant cities have bought
lands near by, which have been trans
formed into beautiful parks, stocked
with well bred cattle and horses.
All this was brought about because in
the beginning there was unity of purpose
in the community to make the town at
tractve, and transient guests were in
duced to become permanent residents.
Examples like this should be an encour-
agement to all country neighborhoods,
and especially to such as have some ma
tural advantages. There will be no aban-
doned farms in region where there is
associated effort for rural improvement.