Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26

the beds of the front parkings are seldom
molested by the thieves. So 1t may fairly
be believed that the back fences could be
removed without exposing the flowers grow
ing in those spaces to any greater degree
of danger than now exists with regard to
the parkings.
If the back fences were taken down there
would be no greater degree of privacy than
at present, for whatever happens in these
yards is now visible to the occupants of the
houses Immediately adjoining. The fences
screen the signs of the shiftlessness OF the
householders only to limited extent, for
from these neighboring upper windows
view is always to be had of the ragged turf,
the CRASHES dirt, the refuse-hlled corners
and the general slouchiness of the premises:
But if the fences were removed or replaced
by lower barriers, this false sense OF security
from neighborhood criticism would IN large
degree be destroyed and the process of ar
tistic Improvement would undoubtedly be
Guickened.
Hedges.
In lieu of the high board fences hedges
might be planted. The expensive box hedge
may be beyond the means of the majority
of househoders but the California privet
makes a hedge almost as compact and beau
tiful, and the Usage orange likewise serves
the purpose admirably. These cost less than
lockwood and are grown without much difh-
Guilty. The hedge, however, has the dis
advantage of requiring constant trimming
to be kept in good condition, and Is, more
over, subject to breaches by the cutting OF
a few growths 1t is not so stable as a bar
rier against the TonpingS OF children
Where these objections prevail low picket
fence or a wire fence of two strands can be
utilized and perhaps covered with honey
suckle growth. This gives the general eff
feet of a hedge and is very satisfactory in
point of fragrance and the ease with which
the growth is foStered.
Where the yards abut upon alleys 1t may
be undesirable to remove the rear fences,
and these might stand even while the divl-
sion fences are taken down and replaced by
hedges or vine-covered wires or pickets. In
this way the lateral stretch of the yards
may be made attractive to the eye, While
even the unsightly boards of the back fence
may be covered with vines. Creepers that
grow quickly such as the moon flower or
the morning glory, make effective screens
for this purpose.
Open Squares.
But the ideal back yard is that which
opens frankly, not only upon its neighbors
to the right and left, but upon those across
the alley, with just sufficient barrier at
the alleys edge to give a suggestion of the
limits of the alley users privileges. With
an entire square thrown open in the rear
in this manner the alley use would soon
become of a different character than at
present. NuisanceS which now are toler-
ated because of the fences and the shut-in
sense of each resident, who cares nothing
for the general welfare of the interior
space of. the block, would be abated under
the combined efforts of all
One more factor remains to be considered;
the back shed, once so common in cities,
and now seldom to be found. The building
of Easements containing furnace rooms and
coal storage facilities has practically de-
stroyed the necessity for the shed in the
rear, yet some of the older houses are so
constructed that this means of outdoor
storage is necessary. However there is
| no reason why such properties may not