The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-15
Elk Up the Yard"

John Grant, in Detroit Journal.
AS the country settles up and the stumps
and roughness disappear, the average
farmer begins to feel that he'd like to
slick up the back yard and fix up the front
yard This feeling is fastened if some
enterprising neighbor sets an example.
Why shouldn't you be that neighbor?
All good, progressive movements have
beginning, and that beginning might as
we'll be on your houseyard as on some other
fellows. Besides, the "other fellow" might
forget to begin!
pleasant, desirable neighborhoods. and the
increased value of farms in such neighbor-
hoods I believe in that idea. / believe
that pretty yards add tone and finish to a
community, and value to property.
Now is a good time to begin. The first
thing to do is to grade the yard and get the
proper start for an even, beautiful lawn
Perhaps you already have a grass plat
around the house, but if it isn't smooth
and properly graded, you can never expect
to make a satisfactory job of your yard
fixing.
Then lay out a walk to the house and
driveway to the barn. Gravel makes ex-
cellent walks and drives, and gravel can be
had in many Michigan neighborhoods.
Next comes the tree question. Are there
shade trees around the house? If not,
plant some at once. Carolina poplar, ca
talpa, box elder. locust and the soft maple
are all quick-growing varieties that soon
make decent shade. Perhaps, though,
Too many is almost bad as none! A
thicket surrounding house is neither tasty
nor healthful. If necessary, thin out the
surplus trees. trim out the dead wood, and
cut out interfering branches.
Vines, shrubs and flowers are last but
not least. Is the porch bare? Then cover
it quickly as you can with anything you
can get-woodbine from the woods, or hon.
eysuckle and cematis from the nursery
mans. A bare porch can never be a pretty
porch. Your wife, of course, knows what
flowers to plant-trust a woman for that.
So all you have to do is to prepare the place
and buy the seed. She will do the rest and
do it better than any man among us. III
you can afford it order a few Towering
Don't forget the back yard. To begin
with, slick it up" Pick up all the rub
bish. rake up the chips and remove the
once heard a neighbor say that Farmer
S. ought to put a roof over his back yard
and open a junk shop!" Can any one make
such a remark about your back yard?
Lastly. keep things in order after you
once get them in order. Pretty soon you'll
find that the neighbors are passing re-
marks" about your yard. Then you'll see
own account Before you know it, almost,
some town friend will stop you and say:
How that neighborhood of yours Is chang
ing! / was out that way last week and
hardly knew the locality, 1t has improved
so in looks. Property must be a good In
vestment in such progressive neighbor-
hood"
Then, perhaps. some day you want to sell
your farm. Along comes a buyer. He
likes your place. but he "hems and haws"
about the "big price you are asking" May
be he goes away, saying that he must find
something cheaper. But as he. goes he car
ries in his mind a picture of your tasty,
homelike yard, and he's pretty certain to
come back again and give you your price.