Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-08-09
Farm and Garden.
KEEP THE FARM ID

and bushes. the dooryards neat, and
the buildings in good repair, there is
strong presumptive evidence that the
man who manages that farm Is careful,
thrifty, and intelligent. If the appear
ance of the farm and the buildings is
the reverse of all this, the probabilities
are that the man who is in charge is
either in hard circumstances, shift
less" or overloaded with work.
SOMETHING WRONG.
There is something wrong wher
things around the buildings and over
the farm look as though they were 60
ing to destruction, and the owner was
making no effort to retard their pro-
gress in that direction. In some cases
it is the misfortune rather than the
fault of the owner that things present
a woebegone appearance. Some men
are SO heavily handicapped by debt, or
i'll health, or some other embarrassing
circumstance, that they can not do as
they would. But the most charitable
judgment cannot admit hat in the ma
Jcrity Of cases an adequate excuse can
be made. Even the men themselves
will usually acknowledge that they
ought to clean up the premises and put
things in better condition. Some
blame their bad luck" but in most
cases there is a feeling that negligence
and procrastination are the causes of
the evil.
VALUE OF TIDINEss.
There is another side to this subject,
and it is because there is another side
that this article is written. Not only
does the appearance of the home and
farm give an indication of the charac-
ter and ability of the man who is at
its head, but the condition of the home
and its surroundings has a powerful
reflex influence upon the character of
the OCCUPANTS. 1t also tends, in no
small degree, to establish the reputa-
ton of the region in which it is locat-
ed. Strangers passing through farm
ing section form their opinion of the
community, as we'll as of individuals,
by the appearance of places along the
road. Residents of the villages and
towns in the vicinity also judge from
the same evidence. Whenever there Is
a general run down" appearance pro-
perty depreciates. The air of unthrift
and indifference drives many would-be
purchasers else where, while those
who do locate upon such farms are
very sure to make the price which they
pay correspond with the appearance of
the farms they obtained.
1t is of little use to urge old farmers
who have fallen into lax ways to i'm
prove the appearance of their farms.
Most of these men will readily assent
to all that may be said in favor f the
improvement which might easily be
effected; but there, as far as they are
concerned, the matter will end. Hab-
it is strong, and when a farmer has for
years been letting things take their
own course, the chances are 30 great as
to amount almost to a certainty that
he will continue to do this as long as
he lives. But there are many farmers
who have started in this direction, but
who have not gone SO far as to make
their cases hopeless. There are also
thousands of young men every year
who commence farming for them
selves, These persons may be in-
fiuenced to seek the benefits and avoid
the evils to which this article refers.
ITS INFLUENCE ON FAMILY LIFE.
Keeping things constantly neat and
tidy will tend to increase self respect,
and will certainly command the res
pect of others. Even the men who
never clean up their own premises, are
glad to see others practice the virtue
which they neglect. Another and
most important consideration is the in
iuence of the home and farm sur
roundings upon the family life and
the future character and success of
the children. Few things are more
discouraging to q farmers wife and
family than to have the buildings neg
lected, the yards full of trash, the
fences falling down, and weeds and
bushes taking possession Of every spot
upon which they can fasten. Children
who grow up with such surrounding
are likely either TO leave the farm a
the first opportunity, or else follow, in
all their future years, the lax methods
to which they have become accustom-
ed. A directly opposite influence, il
: exerted by the neat surroundings
The wife and mother is encouraged
and the children are given a liking TO
country life and tidy ways.
: The fixing up and keeping in orde
the home and its surroundings will
make a man a more efficient farmer
and in this respect will be labor profit
ably applied. But the chief reward
of such q course are not described b,
financial terms, or paid in the currenc
of the market. They are of q highe
and finer nature than money. The
affect the mind and the character
No farmer can afford to miss then
!, For his own sake, for the sake Of tn
community in which he lives, and las
but far from least, for the sake of hi
a family, every man who owns or occr
a pies a farm should see to il that II col