The Florida agriculturist., 1907-10-23
An Attractive Farm Entrance.


Of the farm and the home is greatly
neglected. Study the address and see if
you cannot adapt it to the conditions
which surround you. Of course, we
cannot dispense with gates and fences
in this country where hogs and cattle
have greater rights than human be-
ings, but we can do much even while
still keeping up fences and gates.
Under the above heading, Mr..
c. w. Garfield, before the Michigan
Horticultural Society, made the fol-
lowing strong plea and points in ia
vor of trees and beautiful farm ap-
prOaChes:
We all of us in some way Or an
other emphasize the Importance Of
first impressions. The applicant for
a position who is to appear before an
employer or body of people author
lied to employ, desires above all
things to make the first impression fa-
vOrable. The artistic arrangement Of
an interior has this in mind; the land
scape gardener in developing his plan
for park considers first Of all the i'm
preston which he will make upon the
visitor who first enters the grounds.
To be sure, in all these instances, the
importance Of carrying out details SO
that the first impression shall be we'll
supported afterward by careful con-
sideration of other things cannot be
too strongly emphasized but this is
another story.
The farm entrance, in like manner,
is always on dress parade; it is CIV
ing it's impression to the passer-by
and to the visitor concerning the
character Of the premises and the peo-
pie who domicile there; and my view
is that no other thought in connec-
ton with the arrangement should
dominate the one of expressing peace
and quietness and restfulness. I
recognize the importance Of having
the business operations we'll planned:
That inasmuch as farming is the busi-
ness of the establishment, the purpose
should not be lost sight of through
the expression of mere sentiment; but
this, too, is another story
First of all, the entrance should
express in it's details neatness. We
to the tidiness Of the roadside and the
avenues to the homestead. The habit
Of leaving rubbish, farm tools and
disreputable vehicles about the en-
trance Of the farm is a pernicious one,
and has no excuse either in the busi7
ness management of the farm or in
the satisfaction Of ownership.
Stiffness of any kind in the planning
Of the entrance should be avoided
The planting of two trees so as to
male them just balance each other,
and keeping them trimmed to some
prlm form, is not in itself calculated
to awaken a spirit Of restfulness The
shear1ng Of hedges SO as to give exact
form and primness to the border of
the premises and the sides Of the en-
trance drive gives the impression of
too much expense and care and anx-
iety. In connection with the farm,
one wishes to secure beauty without
giving the impression of expensive
ness. The plan Of a stiff drive along.
side the house toward the barn, lined
on either side by trees, then a straight
walk from the street to the front
door, bordered by prim flower beds,
even if the trees are beautiful and the
flower beds gorgeous, gives a stiffness
to the design which makes one think
of stiff collars and uncomfortable
clothing
Trees may form the most impor-
tant element in connection with an at
tractlve farm entrance, and it is be-
cause Of their strong individuality and
the opportunity in their use to give
'1stlnctlvenesS to the place as com
Dored with other places A fine sugar