The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1913-10-03
In Orchard and Field
9Fiappenings Of Moment to the Man Behind the Plow
BEAUTIFYINe HOME GROUNDS

Following are some of the points
brought out by Prof. Thornber in
his illustrated lecture on THE Beau
tifying of Home Grounds" with
which he closed his seasons series
OF lectures and demonstrations on
horticultural subjects:
The things to be considered in
the identifying of the home grounds
are, the selection of proper build
ing site, the improvement and build
ing material, the selection of proper
types of trees and shrubbery and
the landscape gardening.
1t has been the custom of some
people when selecting a building
site to choose that particular spot
which, because of rocks, poor drain
age or some other fault was unfit
for any other use. This is a mis-
take. In selecting the building site
health should be the first and most
important consideration, conven-
fence and comfort second, view
third and soil fourth.
Small places of ten or fifteen
acres very often have too many
driveways or roads. Roads are the
hardest portions of place to keep
improved. A clean sweep of blue
grass sod looks better, is very easily
kept up and serves the purpose just
as well. Many roads are used only
for few days each year; for in
stance the driveway leading to the
coal shed is only used for a few
days each fall while getting in the
winter coal. Driveways on small
places should never pass in front of
the house. A straight walk from
the street or road to the house is
permissible when the distance is not
over fifty or go feet, when over that
the walk should be curved. The
buildings should be constructed in
such a manner and out of such
material that they will harmonic
with the surroundings. Paint is a
paying Investment and should be
used on all buildings and fences.
This is a large factor in identifying
the home grounds.
In the selection of shade trees
those varieties which have a COM
mercial value as well, should be
chosen. The best of these types
are, English walnut, apple, sweet
cherry, California black walnut and
Japanese chestnut. The best types
for beauty alone are the European
linden, Norway maple, sycamore
maple, English maple, Towering ash,
cork elm, black locust and Scotch
elm. These varieties are very sell
dom effected with San Jose scale.
The purely ornamental typesare the
purple beach, mountain ash, horse
chestnut, weeping willow, European
larch, wild olive and the purple leaf
plum. Enough evergreens should
be used to keep the ground look
ing green in the winter when all
the other trees are leafess. The
Colorado spruce, Douglas fir, black
hill spruce and the Norway pine are
the best varieties for this district.
For the most beautiful and SER
viceable shrubs the lilac, bridal
wreath or Spirea Houtti, and the
bitter sweets or Spir8a Douglasi
should be selected. The honey
suckle is also a good type. Mock
orange, Tamarix and Japanese snow
balls are very hardy and beautiful
bushes.
The Virginia creeper, woodbine,
noon seed plant, ivy, wild grape,
purple cleuratis and honeysuckle are
good types of vines.
Bulbs are very useful for spring
flowers and should be used a great
deal more than they are. They are
the hyacinth, narcissus. paper
white crocus, snowdrop and lilies.
The roses are the California rest
out, Karesin Augusta Victoria,
American Beauty, Frau Druscki g,
Karl white, La France, Bride, Bar