The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-10-28
II. THE HOME ENVIRONMENT.
(COncluded)
The Possibilities of a Back Yard.

great need among us of better knowl-
edge of general landscape gardening,
not on any large scale necessarily, but
that we may see the possibilities of any
bit of ground that may come under our
control. All of us may learn how, for
instance, to plant at the north for pro-
lection against wind and storm, or
know what kind of shrub will best
bring out some special point of beauty
in the house or hide some deficiency
The tiniest back yard, then, can have
a. tree or a grapevine, few tomato
plants, even. at the side, little space
where the children may have their own
garden and plant what they will. A
towering shrub or two and the shade
tree of apple or cherry may all be in a
yard so small that adornment would
seem impossible. But | have seen such
a yard SO planted that it was spot of
beauty, the area for clothes drying be-
ing limited by the tenant to the big re-
volVing stand of lines or wires set in
the center.
Building For Pri:acy.
AS a rule this forms no part of the
plan of the average house owner or
renter. There is general conviction
that such ground as house may own
belongs to the public quite as much as
to the owner, and in one sense this is
true. The movement against fences
which began years ago had many adj
vantages, and it is only recently that
any word has been said in their favor.
Piazza life, more and more a fashion,
and an invaluable one. is open to all
passars-by, and grounds are SO planted
that the hammock must swing in pub
lie view. Yet a slight alteration in plan
would insure a spot where genuine pri-
Vacy and some family life would at
once become possible. The method has
beene outlined by the same original and
suggestive architect, Mr.. Russell Stur-
gis. He proves that the house need not
necessarily face the street, that it can
be set much farther back, and that the
space so gained can be planted so jul
diciouSly as to make q green covert
beautiful to the eye, yet shutting off
observation absolutely, unless, indeed,
the neighborS go to the upper stories to
see what is going on. This would mean
also little playground for the chill
dren and prevent that inevitable gath
ering in the street that is at present
the despair of the mother who does not
wish her children to know all the
chance corners in a neighborhood, at
least till she has had time to discover
their quality. The environment of the
child is at present a matter of serious
study. and many mothers are realizing
the danger of the promiscuous associa
ton that has been allowed and that re-
suits in part from cur present system
of building and laying out our grounds.
"A New Phase of Factory Work and
the Home.
It is usually taken for granted that a
factory neighborhood must dispense
with beauty and know only the sternly
utilitarian. Here and there mill own
ers have shown that this is not neces-
sary, yet they have found it difficult to
secure any cooperation from their ten
ants. But there is one great manufac-
tory at Dayton, o., where the owner
has brought this about to such an ex
tent that the whole body of workers
have not only beautified and improved
their own conditions at every turn, but
have provided an object lesson to all
outside. Every foot of land has been
made the most of, and the whole effect
is that of delightful park. the house
gardens adding to, rather than taking
from, the general effect of harmonious
landscape. Surrounded by a poorer
element of population, the whole gen.
eral tone has been raised. Prizes for
the best grown plant, fruit or shrub
have stirred all to emulation, men, wo-
men and children becoming expert in
dealing with the ground they call their
own-a proof again of how the earth
can blossom when all are taught to deal
with it. 1t is never large spaces that
are a necessity. The smallest patch Of
land has its possibility, and the cultiva-
ton OF it can be taught to the 10-year-
old child The sordid ugliness that
marks our suburbs. as well as our viii
lage outskirts, will disappear when
such. teaching becomes general. The
toughest boy, as has already been
proved in many a social settlement, is
happy in learning how to deal with
flowers and shrubs. There is a, great
newsboys' home on the east side in
New York, the head of which believes
Horticulture TO be a regenerating pro-
cess. and he has proved his theory in
hundreds of cases. His school room
opens into a great conservatory, and
his boys have in one year handled in
diligently and sent out over 10000. cut
tings.