Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-04-20
COUNTRY SCHOOL YARD.
uow 1t May Be Converted Into a Thing
of Beauty.

dow 1t May BE Converted Into Thing
of Beauty.
An energetic country school-teacher
for wishing to make the yard more at
tractire has, according to the Orange
Judd Farmer, to contend with the fol
lowing conditions: The yard COM
prises onesquare acre with the road run
ming along two sides. The views to be OBJ
tanned are not particularly desirable,
being simple rural scenes. The build
ing is u neat wooden structure 3OX5O
feet. Not much money or time is
available so the trees and shrubs must
be inexpensive, and some of them OBJ
tained from the neighboring woods
The idea is to cheaply and tastefully
ornament the grounds without impair
ing their usefulness as Fairgrounds, to
give the children a knowledge of plant
growth, and to teach them to appreci
ate common trees and shrubs.
First lay out the walks. To insure
their being used make them perfectly
straight. \ gravel walk is cheapest
and is fairly serviceable in all kinds of
weather. A neat fence is an absolute
necessity to keep off stray animals
The school is home for the children
for large part of the day, so the play
ground ought to be ample. Let the
general playground for boys and girl,
occupy the space east of the school
house. The part marked lawn, is de-
signed for stretch of velvety turf as
neat and well-kept as possible. This,
if beautiful, gives character to the
whole. While no keep off the grass
signs need to be placed there, playing
on that part of the yard must be re
stricted. The space marked girls is 10
be separated from the remainder by
shrubs and trees. A secluaed spot is
thus provided where the gcntler Sex can
keep their treasures, and can play house
and other games suitable for young
girls. As costly plants are out of the
question most of them must he small
ana common. Native trees and shrubs
are generally about as attractive as
foreign ones, and are infinitely harder
and easier to make live. 1t is well to
have good variety of trees, though the
grounds need not be made a sort OF
museum. Maple, oak, elm, beech, wal
nut, linden and tulip are all desirable
.Geciduous kinds. Oaks and walnuts
are best grown from the seed For
eyergreens, spruce, white pine and hem
lock in the order given are most suit
able. There are other desirable kinds
but those named should by all means
prcdominate. In the accompanying
plan, places for the various trees are
indicated. Other varieties, however,
may be substituted. For the shrub
berry, lilac, barberry, SNOWFALL, and
syrinpa taspir;e can be used to good ad-
vantage. Among native shrubs, osiers,
sumac, dogwood, witchhazed, june
berry and hazel nuts may be planted.
1t would be a pleasing combination to
plant wildtlowers, hepatica, walierboin,
ri9cts, adder tongues, etc, in these
Ntd strawberries. BY all means set
out nothing but hardy plants which
viii take care of themselves from year
to year. Flowers and foliage beds need
too much attention, and besides are
bare a good share of the year.
y great many plants can be found
in the woods which may be had for the
DIGGING. Virginia creepcr, green briar,
bittersweet, virgins bower and wild