The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-02-06
Kitclle1l---Most
Important Room
In Farm Home

WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb. g.
The Importance to the farmer of has-
ing an economical farm house has
been emphasized by the farm archi-
tect of the department of agriculture,
who states that the mental and ply
siacl fitness of the laborers both with
in the house and in the fields are vi
tally affected by the building that
affords the family shelter. The av-
erage American farm home has failed
to share in the improvements that are
every day being made in agricultural
conditions and according to the ar
chitect, is a 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 house
wife today.
The most important building on a
farm is the home. The health, COM
fort and happiness of the family are
dependent upon its construction and
equipment, and unless these matters
are looked after the sanitary dairy
barn of the economically constructed
buildings for stock are Of little value.
Happiness and contentment in the
family are as essential to efficient
service as improved tools and out
buildings.
Although the housewife spends, in
many cases, lifetime in her work
shop" the kitchen and the family
rooms, she is not, as a rule, capable
of planning house in the highest
degree serviceable and comfortable
without assistance. Her help, how
ever is essential to the farm architect,
as the result of his plans most vitality
concerns her.
In 1910 western farm paper, at
the suggestion of the department of
agriculture, conducted competition
for farm house plans. About $50
plans of farm houses were submitted
not one of which was fully satisfac-
tory. The larger number insisted on
some particular pet notion and en-
phasized a single feature t othe ne
glect of other important ones. The
men and women who familiarize
themselves with the work to be done
and then apply themselves to the
single task of devising means are the
one who with the cooperation of the
farmers, and their wives can best
hadle the farm house problem.
One of the most important details
regarding the average American farm
house is that it must be inexpensive,
The average annua1 net income of
farmer today, after deducting five
per cent interest on his investment,
is less than $400. This does not
mean that the houses may not be at
tractive. They may if intelligently
planned with the help of vines,
shrubs and trees, become the pretti-
est spots in the landscape, and more
beautiful and inexpensive than the
crowded city houses.
The tenant-house problem is grow
ing in Importance as can be seen from
the fact that the number of rented
farms increased by more than 324,-
900 during the last decade. Today
little more than half the farms in
this country are operated by the own
| erS.
To Economize Housewives Strength
The possible economy in house
hold labor and the conservation OF
the strength of the housewife are
two important factors to be consider
| ed in the construction of a farm
house. Pleasant and comfortable
farm homes tend to hold families to-
gether but the cheerless, ENJOYABLE
and insanitary houses drive boys and
girls to the cities. Investigation of.
prisons, insane asylums ana houses or
correction, seem to prove the fact that
the sins which account for the exist
ence of these institutions are often
bred in inadequate and unhappy farm
homes. So this social aspect of the,
problem, IL considerable.
The public is awakening to the
need, and the special feature which
Imany farm papers now Issue as q
blouse Building Number" proves it's
interest to thousands of readers.
The office Of farm management OF
the department 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 overlook
ed in providing economical arrange
ments for the household when they
might be easily provided for. One OF
the specialists of the office of farm
management learned from a woman
in Pennsylvania who had broken
down from ouorunrk that she had