The Republican journal., 1914-02-05
THE KITCHEN

The Most Important Room in tie Farm
house. Governments Farm Architect
Points Out Importance of an Economical
ly Constructed and Comfortable Home to
the Farmer.
| WASHINGTON, D. c.. Feb. 2, 1914. The i'm
portance to the farmer of having an economi-
cal farmhouse has been emphasized by the
farm architect of the Department of Agricult-
ure, who states that the mental and physical
fitness of the laborers. both within the house
and in the fields. are vitality affected by the
building that affords the family shelter. The
average American farm home has failed to
share in the improvements that are every day
being made in agricultural conditions and. &C
cording to the architect, is rebuke to our
boosted civilization. Relatively, he says. the
housewife of century ago with her fireplace
cooking and log cabin was better provided for
than is the housewife of today.
The most important building on farm is
the home. The health, comfort and happi-
ness of the family are dependent upon its con-
struction, and equipment, and unless these
matters are looked after the sanitary dairy
barn or the economically constructed buildings
for stock are of little value. Happiness and
contentment in the family are as essential to
buildings
Although the housewife spends, in many
cases, a lifetime in her workshop, the
kitchen and the family rooms, she is not. as a
rule, capable of planning house in the high
est degree serviceable and comfortable with
out assistance. Her help, however,is essential
to the farm architect, as the result of his
plans most vitality concerns her.
In 1910 western farm paper, at the sug-
gestion of the Department of Agriculture,
conducted competition for farm house plans.
About 66O plans of farm houses were submit
ted, not enc of which was fully satisfactory.
The larger number insisted on some particu-
lar pet notion and emphasized a single fea-
ture to the neglect of other important ones.
The men and women who familiarize them
selves with the work to be done and then
apply themselves to the single task of devils
ing means, are the ones who, with the CO.
operation of the farmers, and their wives,
can best handle the farm house problem.
One of the most, important details regarding
the averageAmerican farmhouse is that it must
be inexpensive. The average annual net in
come of farmer today, after deducting five
percent interest on his investment, is less than
$500. This does not mean that the houses
may not be attractive. They may, if intelli-
gently planned, with the help of vines, shrubs
and trees, become the prettiest spots in the
landscape, and more beautiful and Inexpensive
than the crowded city houses.
The tenant-house problem is growing in i'm
portance as can be seen from the fact that the
number of rented farms increased by more
than $4,000 during the last decade. Today
little more than half the farms in this country
are operated by the owners.
TO ECONOMIC THE HOUSEWIVES STRENGTH.
The possible economy in household labor
and the conservation of the strength of the
housewife are two important factors to be
considered in the construction of farm house.
Pleasant and comfortable farm homes tend to
hold families together; but the cherries, I'M
lovable and insanitary houses drive boys and
girls to the cities. Investigation of prisons,
insane asylums and houses of correction, seem
to prove the fact that the sins which account
for the existence of these institutions of
ten bred in inadequate and unhappy farm
homes. So this social aspect of the problem is
The public is awakening to the fact that
better farm houses are needed. and the special
feature which many farm papers now issue as
a "House Building Number" proves it's inter-
est to thousands of readers.
The office of Farm Management of the De-
partment of Agriculture has now undertaken
to investigate this problem systematically and
to evolve, if possible, practical improvements
for the benefit of the farmers home.
Certain features are often overlooked in
providing economical arrangements for the
household when they might be easily provided
for One of the specialists of the Office ofFarm
Management learned from women in Penn
sylvania, who had broken down from overwork,
that she had been carrying coal from the barn
for years. When the husband was asked if
there was any reason why coal bunker could
not have been provided near the cookstove and
filed directly from the wagon, he answered
that there was none, but that no one had ever
thought of it. This one detail has been found
neglected in other cases where it could have
been easily remedied, if only someone had
thought of it.
After economy in the construction of the
building and in the house work has been at
tanned, attention will be given to developing
beauty. Simplicity in line and good proper
tons are meant by the use of this word
beauty. and not so-called applied ornaments"
This simplicity is entirely in keeping with
general plan Of economy.
Economy, however, is not synonym for
cheapness. Double strength glass may even
be more economical in tenant house than
single strength, notwithstanding its greater
first cost. A kitchen sink may be a paying in
vestment although it excludes bay window,
or fireplace, which has been the pet notion of
the housewife Screened-in kitchen porches,
sleeping porches, double or triple windows and
kitchen conyeniences are fine economical feat
ures which ev en- the smallest house plans may
well consider. Separate dining rooms for FAM
lilies that generally eat in the kitchen are less
important. as are "parlors." These separate
rooms may have complete systems of plumb
ing, heating and lighting which involve addi-
tional expense. The kitchen is the most i'm
portant room in the farm house.