The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-12-16
A NEW TYPE OF
COUNTRY HOUSE
Needs Of The Times Stated by
Dean Of Illinois University.
OUTLINES IMPROVEMENTS.

Attractive and the Plainest Home an
Ideal Garden Spot.
Eugene Davenport, dean of the col
lege of agriculture, University Of ILL
nois, In the st. Louis Globe Democrat
gives some very interesting views on
the question of improving the coun-
try home He says:
In general we need new type OF
home architecture, better adapted to
country conditions than are the types
that have been universally employed
and that have come with more or less
modification from the towns. The
country house should be relatively low
and large and arranged with reference
to conducting the labor Of the home
with the least possible outlay of ener-
gy both in travel and in heavy work.
All labor matters should be considered
at this time by every one who contem-
plates building on the farm, and some
OF the newer designs that may now
be had should be carefully studied by
prospective builders before deciding
on the final plans.
However, relatively few houses are
erected In any one generation, and the
principal improvements that can now
be made in country living will be in
dependent of absolutely new construc-
tion. Moreover, we want to attack
FIRST those which can be accomplished
with the least outlay of funds and sug-
gest lines of Improvement
Lines of Improvement.
In general these lines may be rough
ly sketched under three principal head
lngs-sanitatlon. labor saving ma
chlnery and ornamental planting.
Wherever people establish n perma-
nent residence there all questions of
cleanliness and health are double both
In difficulty and Importance.
The disposal Of the waste of the
home In such way as shall not en-.
danger the health is an almost impos-
sible problem in the city. In the
country 1t is easily managed-so easily
that In the past It has been ignored
TO degree that has left typhoid and
many other Infectious diseases more
prevalent In the country than In the
city. The time has come when some
thing must be done on this point, and
proper sanitary sewage disposal on the
farm Is one of the first questions that
Iaust be considered In improving the
conditions of country life.
Fortunately the problem Is easily and
cheapiy solved. The cost of top bug
gy Is In general sufficient to supply
the country home with sanitary sew
age disposal equal to that of the best
city residences.
BY labor saving machinery Is meant
the Quitting of the home for doing
the heavy labor, especially of cleaning
with machinery that is competent to
do the work and that compares some
what favorably with that which is
used on the farm outside. This ma
chinery Is not simply labor saving; il
IL necessary to the conduct OF the
business. Originally the reaper was
intended as a labor saving machine
but IL has become a necessity, fol-
without It the harvesting of the Amer
lean wheat crop would be impossible
that is to say, 1t would be Impossible
TO secure the labor necessary to har
vest the American wheat crop by tho
oidtime methods, and wheat produc
ton on the present scale is possible
only with modern harvesting ma
chinery.
Home Machinery.
So IL Is with the labor OF the farm
home. We have reached the time wher
this labor has become excessive, anC
the installation of proper machinery
Tor doing the heaviest portions is no
simply a favor to the women OF tn,
household; II has become an economic
and social necessity In order that III,
American farm women can dlscharg,
In safety to their health and In comfor
% their everyday life the obligations
that are now resting upon them.
Without doubt the proper distrlbu
tiOn OF ornamental planting would dt
'naOre to beautlfy country life thar
would any other means at our disposal
csrtainly with anything like n slmila
outlay OF money. IL Is the most difi
cult or all the Improvements to eff
Rect largely because we are withou
proper ideals of procedure and are OBJ
sessed with the conviction that any
tklng TO be beautiful must be bough
OF an agent and grown In nursery
acme distance away.
when It is possible for country peo
Dl0 TO acquire really practical method
@f using native material, that which 4
certainly hardy. in moderate amounts
bot In sufficient quantities really b
produce an effect we can revolutioniz
tho atmosphere Of country homes. evel
the plainest OF them. What is needle,
d not here and there a solitary tree o
a bush lighting for life among the grns
and weeds. but masses OF planting
which make background and a set
ting for the house. In which case, ma.
the house be ever 30 plain, the pictur
AZ a whole Will give the feeling o
home.
The pre- blem OF country living is II
own problem. quite distinct from tina
hOf any other form OF modern life. I
must be studied from It's own stand
point, solved with It's own material.