The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-10-22
FARMHOUSE SURROUNDINGS.
Changes Effected with Trees and Grass,
Good WALKS to the Outbuildings.


Good WALKS to the OutbuiIdings.
Attention to two things alone will 20
far toward transforming home from
downright ugliness to beauty-namely,
trees and grass. Many mistakes are
made in setting out shade trees. Hero
are some helpful points in the matter
given by q Country Gentleman CORE
spondent. He says: "Evergreens ought
never to be set near tho house. They are
useful as windbreaks at the north and
west, at some distance from the house,
where they may be set either in clumps
or hedges, but never ON n lawn. Why
not? First, because grass does not do
we'll under them, as under deciduous
trees, and, second, because so many of
them drop cones almost the entire year,
which not only are unsightly, bu. great
ly interfere with the use of the lawn
mower.
Mistake No. 2 is in setting fruit trees
instead of forest trees. g there are two
objections to these: First, they arc too
short lived, and this is serious obiec-
ton, for we ought to plant shade trees
for lifetime, and it is serious matter
Just when we have secured shade to have
our trees die.
Mistake No. is in setting trees too
near the house. 1t is hard to realize
when planting a tree no larger than a
bean pole that in time it may have n
spread of branches 60 or so feet in diam
eter, and so trees are set 10 or 10 feet
from the house, and long before they
reach their prime the branches are rest
ing on the roof, rotting the shingles, and
the leaves are choking the cutters.
The correspondent quoted advises
planting n row of trees in front of the
house, but elsewhere plant in clumps
Leave an opening to the southeast, so
that the morning sun may dry the house;
then plant Immediately south of the
house to protect from the midday sun
and have an opening to the southwest;
then there should be clump planted a
little north Of west to protect the house
from the sun late in the day in the long
days of summer when it is intensely hot
until the sun goes down. The row Of
trees at the front of the house should, If
possible, be 40 feet or more away.
Not one farmhouse in ten is supplied
with good walks to the outbuildings.
Concrete walks are expensive, but at
>ractive and durable, and when the farm
er can afford it this material is advised.
Around the house no walks need to be
more than 3 feet wide unless it is Mt the
approach to the front door, where it may
sometimes need to be wider, and foot
walk answers very we'll to the barn and
other buildings.
Plank walks can be made for or 4
cents Il square foot, or even less, and will
last for many years and give good salts
faction. To make them place by 4
scantlings on edge, with fiat stone under
to keep them from the ground, and nail
short boards across from one to the 9th
er. The writer prefers narrow boards
not moro than inches wide, and 4 is
better. Nail them on an inch apart, as
they will dry out readily and last longer
for it and will also keep cleaner, rs the
dirt carried on by the shoes will most of
it fall through the cracks, and the walk
costs less than if made with wider boards
or laid solid, az with inch boards 20
per cent of the lumber is saved.