Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1898-08-23
IMPROVING RURAL HOMES.

energies Of our farmers, and In the solu-
ton OF which good deal Of money Ia
lost. | venture to suggest that the first
point Of importance Is to see that street
frontage Is neat and as thoroughly
brought under cultivation as the farm or
homestead itself. Ii Is extremely Often
sive 10 drive by some Of our pleasant
homes and find that they have made the
street dumping place, or even place
for growing weeds and weed seeds. Sec
ond, would leave the land as near as
possible as nature arranged It. 1t is en-.
tirely unnecessary TO go into large
amount Of scraping and grading In order
to make beautiful lawns. This may do
In city, but is out Of taste In the coun-
try. The knolls and bluffs and swales
are more beautiful than any possible
graded plateau that art can create. They
allow Of that variety which pleases, and
the absence Of which displeases. In the
third place, would beware Of creating
a city lawn anywhere about my house.
This detestable little plot takes up all
the attention and time Of the occupant
and his family to keep II smoothed and
while the rest OF his plantation
Is left TO ugliness. would Danish every
thing In the way Of lawn mowers, max
ing 1t first rule that every part Of a
place should be equally clean and equally
well trimmed.
As the next point | would make sure
that the barns were so constructed, at a
reasonable distance from the house, that
they should add 10 the beauty and har-
mony Of the place, rather than detract
from it. The barns inside and out may
be beautiful and attractive 10 visitors,
because Of their neatness and the out
look from them. They should command
good water, clean yards aud windows
loooking over the property. IL Is im-
possible to create n charming country
home where the builder conceives IL TO
be his chief duty 10 erect a modern
house, with modern conveniences and
nothing more. As much money should
be expended on the surroundings a. on
the house itself. Handsome lawns,
trees, choice shrubbery may AS
readily be had AS pleasant rooms with
balconies and books. So far as the
house itself is concerned IL should have
ss much OF an outlook as an inlook. Ii
should be built TO command all beautiful
scenery and pleasant hooks and groves
that are near the house. To this end a
country house Is never reasonable unless
IL combines large number OF verandas,
balconies and bayed windows. A. a
rule, verandss should run nearly around
the house. la summer the family may
thus live out OF doors as much as In
doors. In the planting OF trees one
must consider those that are what We
may call home trees. These are such as
grow with large outspresd, big arms,
aud rspidity. should select for such
trees outternuts, apple trees, English
elm and English oak, the beech, and,
above all, the linden. would not build
a house without planting adjacent 10 IL q
good linden grove. And In that grove |
must have colony OF bees. These will
not only contribute 10 the interest OF the
house but to its profit.
Ii Is impossible 10 call that place a
home which cares only for breeding cat
tie, and where the only music Is the
grunting Of innumerable hogs and the
believing Of cattle. Nor Is that true
home where there Is semi-citiiied house,
with its gsudy paint and no shade. Rich
furniture cannot compensate for COM
mon sense In such case. liz Is neces-
ssry that We shall first OF all get true
conception Of what country life Is and
ought TO be. While not uncouth, IL
should be simple; while inexpensive, IL
should be not too economical. Ii is
above sll other lives capable OF that ad-
justment between outgoes and incomes
which renders living pleasant. l do not
believe that farm life need be life OF
drudgery. IL need not be II the arrange
ment of crops is made for the purpose OF
feeding well family, and selling the
surplus, rather than arranging the crops
for market and living on the waste.
Every country home should raise no,
only It's own cereals, and vegetables. and
meat, and eggs aud milk, but It's own
fruit of all sorts. Arrange for broader
variety of crops, and make sure first OF
all that the household is well fed. When
the surplus begins 10 add more coin 10 8
mans income he may indulge In in
creased luxuries. But let him see 10 II
that his luxuries are real sustenance OF
mind and body and not items Of dead
waste. A farmer who knows no more
than 10 throw away his profits on tobac-
co and intoxicants has no claim upon the
sympathy OF the community II he fail;
OF pleasant home and what Is called
success in life.
The rural home gives woman very
different and larger sphere than the city
home. In the country no woman need:
womsn's club to bring out and give ex-
preston to her individuality. II she has
any original force she can express it In
her family. Our American country
homes have gone too far in this respect
They have divided the home in two
parts. Woman rules exclusively In
doors and man exclusively out Of doors.
This demarcation Of duties has led TO q
lack Of sympathy between the two de-
partments. Before the growth OF fac
tories that took away farm industries
there was much more cooperation be-
tween the farmer and his wife. They
made soap together, and dipped candles
together, and made sausages together
aud together were able 10 construct near
ly all the furniture and carpets Of the
house. On rainy days men expected TO
work in doors. | think we must react
somewhat TO the old-fashioned times, or
the Germans will run US out with their
better system Of cooperating.
\ marked failure Of American rural
life has been its loss Of the young pec-
pie, who have preferred to 90 into town
life. There is good reason for this, Oh
=. hax No m II
lay part Of the fault to our schools
which have educated the young folks to
town enterprises, and given them no
taste for or knowledge of plant and ami
NAL life. But hey ond this there has been
difficulty in the fact that farm life
tends 10 require of all our boys about
the same routine of duties. The fact is
that not more than one out OF three has
a taste for what We generally cal
straight farming. Yet the other two OF
the three probably have traits OF char
scter and tastes that adapt them to CO.
operate on the farm in happy and in.
teliigent way. One of them, perhaps, |:
a mechanic. The other scientist. Both
Of these can be set at work for the gen.
eral good of the family. Let your me-
chsnic have his shop, where he can make
and repair and invent to his hearts con-
tent. All this Is profitable to the com
mon stock. Let the other chap apply
himself to botany and entomology and
geology, and then apply his studies &c
the needs of the orchard and the land
He can do intelligently just what the
others cannot do. In fact | think 1t !:
this very dissimilarity Of tastes and
minds that must be taken advantage OF
In order to make q complete country
home and q very successful family
Study your children before you study
your animals, and cont expect horse