Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-06-03
THE MODEL KITCHEN.
GOVERNMENT SAYS WHAT TT
SHOULD BE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ROOM IN THE
FARM HoME-TTs PROPER
CONSTRUCTION.

The Importance to the farmer of having
phasized by the farm architect of the de-
partment of agriculture, who states that
the mental and physical fitness OF the
la borers both within the house and in the
fields are vitality affected by the building
that affords the family shelter. The aver
age American farm home has failed to
share in the improvements that are every
day being made in agricultural conditions
and, according to the architect, is q re-
buke to our boosted civilization. Rela-
lively, he says, the housewife OF century
ago, with her fireplace cooking and log
cabin, was better provided for than is the
housewife to-day.
The most important building on farm
is the house. The health, comfort and
happiness Of the family are dependent
upon its construction 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 efficient
service as improved tools and out
buildings.
Although the housewife spend, in many
cases, lifetime in her workshop, the
kitchen, and the family rooms, she is not,
as a rule, capable OF planning a house in
the highest degree serviceable and COM
Portable without assistance. Her help,
however, is essential to the farm architect,
as the result of his plans most vitality con-
Germs her.
In 1910 western farm paper, at the sug
gestion of the department of agriculture,
conducted a competition for farmhouse
plans. About $50 plans of farmhouses
were submitted, not one Of which was
fully satisfactory. The larger number in
sisted on some particular pet notion and
emphasized single feature to the neglect
Of other important ones. The men and
women who famiiiarize themselves with
the work to be done and then apply them
selves to the single task of devising means,
are the ones who, with she cooperation of
the farmers and their wives, can best
handle the farmhouse problem.
One OF the most importent details re-
garding the average American farmhouse
is that it must be inexpensive. The aver
age annual net income of a farmer to-day,
after deducting per cent. interest on his
is less that $500. This does
not mean that the houses may not be at
tractive. They may, il intelligently
planned, with the help OF vines, shrubs
and trees, become the prettiest spots in
the landscape, and more beautiful and in
than the crow ded city houses.
The tenant house problem is growing in
Importance, as can be seen from the fact
t hat the number OF rented farms increased
by more than 324 900 during the last de-
cade. To-day little more than half the
farms in this country are operated by the
owners.
SAVE 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 a
farm house. Pleasant and comfortable
farm homes tend to hold families together;
but the cherries, ENJOYABLE and insani-
tary houses drive boys and girls to the
cities. Investigation OF prisons, insane
asylums and houses Of correction, seem to
for the existance of these institutions are
often bred in inadequate and unhappy
farm homes. SO this social aspect OF the
problem is considerable.
The public is awakening to the fact that
better farmhouses are needed, and the
special feature which many farm papers
now issue as "House Building Number,
proves its interest to thousands of readers
The Office of farm management of the
of agriculture has now under
taken to investigate this problem system
atically, ana to evolve, if possible, prscti-
cal 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 special
lists of the Office of farm management
learned from a woman in Pennsylvania,
who had broken down from overwork,
bdt sue hau Dccu carly ing Soht iiOuu ZIG
barn for years. When the husband was
asked il there was any reason why a coal
bunker could not have been provided
near the cookstove and filled directly from
the wagon, he answered that there was
none, but that no one had ever thought of
1t. This one detail has been found
neglected in other cases where it could
have been easily remedied, if only some
one had thought of it.
After economy in the construction Of
the building and in the house work has
been attained, attention will be given to
developing beauty. Simplicity in line
and good proportions 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 q synonym
for cheapness. Double strength glass may
even be more economical in tenant house