The leader., 1902-10-29
FARMER AND PLANTER.
BEAUTIFYING THE FARM HOME
One Of the Surest Methods of We'd
ding the Farmers Wife and
Family to the Farm.

One great mistake thousands of
Farmers make is in not identifying
their homes and making them attrac-
to the public. In travelling about the
country one sees thousands of barn
like and shed-like houses on the
farms, and many of them without a
flower, shrub or even shade-tree about
them. Some lave a few shade-trees
about them, and at a distance one
would be led TO elieve that they were
neat little homes, but closer view dis
pels the illusion. Chickens, ducks and
little pigs about the front yard or in
the usual puddle near the we'll, with
big brindle dor under the doorstep,
incline one to drive on to the next
house if thirsting for drink of wa
ter. Very seldom does one see farm
home where any really effective effort
has been made to make it and its
surroundings attractive.
Occasionally one will drive into a
community where grange or some
other farmers organization exists,
and he will note at once the improve
ment in the homes and their sur
roundings. Here are trees, shrubs and
flowers on fairly clean lawns, with
swing or hammock and a chair or
two, and he will note the absence of
pigs, fowls and the big brind1e dog.
One feels safe in stopping at such a
place for a drink of water or to pur-
chase a quart of milk to drink as he
eats his lunch, Yet even on these
place there is not the touches of neat
ness and prettiness one sees about the
suburban home of the merchant, law
yer or other townsman. This is not
because the latter has better oppor-
tunities, but because he spends more
on his home. Usually the farmer is
not slow about spending money for
farm buildings and fences, or for re-
pairs about the house; but when it
comes to identifying the house and
its immediate surroundings he shuts
himself and his pocketbook up Is
close as clam.
This is where the mistake is made.
The tOwnSman ornaments his dwell
ing and puts iron chairs and settees
under his trees, screens in his large
porches, plants the brightest of flow
ers in prettily-edged fiower-beds,
erects an ornamental fence about his
lot, and does all he can to make it
attractive, though his income may be
no longer than that of the farmer
who thinks it foolishness to spend
money on such things. Beautiful
country homes, these make the coun-
try attractive. They need not be ex-
pensive, they can be pretty without
being costly, and above all they may
be comfortable. A farmer who sold
his farm and moved into town and
built neat little cottage said, after
he had lived in town two years: 81
can't understand why l was SO short
sighted as to live 80 years on my
farm in the next thing to shack!
| never once thought of making my
farm home attractive. When l moved
to town, the first thing L thought of
was a pretty little cottage in which
to live. If | had built a nice cottage
on my farm, and made it as neat and
homelike as the one l built in town,
my wife would never have wanted to
come here. 1 can see now what a
pretty spot 1 could have made of it.
The ground lay just right for max
ing a splendid laws. I had plenty of
water and power for making a beau
tiful fountain. The old tree-oaks,
naples and elms-are grand, and all
that was needed to make a home that
would have been the browning glory
of that locality was little sense!"