The Elbert County tribune., 1911-08-18
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are not engaged in the actual tng of the soil
a sole means of livelihood
The evidences of energy ambition and prosper
ity which are calculated to impress with their
full force only the person who returns to region
after an absence OF OF years decade
are to be found In various spheres. They
most noticeable perhaps in the institutions and
facilities which have to do with bread winning
occupations, the increased size and improved
dition of farm buildings, the betterment of farm
implements and machinery the upkeep Of the
fences and the more satisfactory status of the
roads over which the farmer hauls his produce to
market 1t is safe to say. however, that in no
division of farm life has the twentieth century dis
closed new possibilities to the extent that such
expansion has been manifested in the architecture
and construction OF barns and stables
The barn has always been most important as
set OF the farmer stock raiser. Society folk
ignorant OF the relative Importance of things on
farm, have been wont to criticize many farmer
because he expended far money on his barn
than he did upon his residence. From the stand
point of the farmer, however there has always
been ample justification for such course. A
barn represents an important business essential
source of livelihood. whereas dwelling is In CON
siderable measure II not q luxury at least a
vehicle OF comfort Accordingly the farmer, II he
has the thrift and foresight and Judgment for
which his class proverbia is apt to argue
when setting up for himself that It IS the part OF
wisdom to procure the best possible facilities in
the form OF shelter for his crops and stock and
house And. be 1t added the average rural house
wife. particularly II she raised farm has
readily concurred with her husbands view as to
the wisdom Of thus attending to business first
and pleasure afterward
Gradually II has come about, however, that In
none save the most newlydeveloped sections OF
the country is there noticeable that old disparity
between the appearance Of the home and its
accompanying barn. The prosperity that has
come to the American farmer In later years has
been mainly responsible With an opportunity to
derive something IKE his proper share of the
profits OF his Jon he has 'spruced up things
generally around the old homestead. Like as not
he has invested in automobile and high.
priced graphophone a player-piano. but whether
not he has gone to the limit of luxuries in that
direction k- is pretty certain to have made the
farm home worthy of his family and of his pros.
porous condition-either enarging or rebuilding
the old house or else putting up house that
is modern in every respect
But while these other adjuncts have been catch
ing up with the farm barn it must not be sup
posed that the barn itself has been standing still
In the march OF progress, II we may express 1t
that way. 1t is not much that the present-day
barn or stable is larger than Its predecessor of
decade ago--except of course, In the case of large
estates bonanza farms. On the contrary there
seems to be tendency to reduce the size of
such buildings. This tendency which is not yet
by any means universal is explained by various
circumstances. For thing 1t has become the
fashion to provide various separate storage struc-
lures and outbuildings which take care of some
Of the farm yield for which space had formerly to
be provided In the barn. Then too the automo-
biIes Of the uptodate farmer OF today take up less
space than did the various carriages. buggies, light
wagons and carriage horses OF the farmer In pro
portionatey easy circumstances years ago.
But II country barns have not necessarily been
following the example of city skyscrapers in grow.