The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1915-03-26
BY W. G. HUMMELL,
University OF California.

most of us realize or appreciate. The
immediate home surroundings are
unconsciously considered as part and
parcel of the home, and the nature
ana character of the people living
there will often be judged by what
Is seen outside of the house.
Ihis beautifying Of the home sur
foundings is also worth considering
from the standpoint of keeping m
the interest OF the boys and girls in
the home. Neat and attractive home
surroundings of which a boy or girl
may be Justly proud will be a DOW
erful factor in the development of
ceontented and happy life. The ques-
ton, why the boy leaves the farm,
might often be answered by pointing
TO the slovenly and untidy home sur
roundings.
FROM the mere standpoint of dol
lars and cents the home surround
lngs become important. Nothing will
add more to the value of the entire
property than neat, well-planted and
well-cared-for home grounds. Every
one would rather live in a home of
TINS KIND and in a community Of such
homes.
One OF the first requisites In beau
tifylng home surroundings is neat
ness. Rubbish should be removed;
naif-dead and dying shrubs and trees
should be pruned or removed en-
tlrely. Fences and outbuidings
should be Strengthened up, repaired
and painted; gates hung and swung
properly. In other words, a pre-
vailing appearance of "a place for
everything and everything in Its
place" should be established and
maintained 1t will take lot of
planting to hide a lack of this es-
sential feature.
Another factor to be constantly
kept in mind is the extent of the
grounds. In the city and suburban
place this is largely determined by
factors beyond our control but in
the country the question must be de-
termined for every home.
Not Too Large.
1t is to be remembered that some
time is necessary properly to care
for grounds and with this in mind
the busy farmer should not make the
home grounds SO large that they can
not be properly cared for. On the
other hand, the grounds should not
be so small as to be out of all pro-
portion to their surroundings. The
wide spaces and distances in the
country should be maintained to a
reasonable extent in the home
grounds. A certain sense of propor-
tion, together with good judgment,
should solve this problem.
The farmhouse should be COM
paratiyely remote from the road, so
that the noise and dust of passing
traffic will be avoided and a de-
sired privacy secured. This distance
should be at least three times the
height of the house and usually
more.
The width of the grounds will de-
pend much upon the character of the
house. Usually the space In front
Of the house should be nearly, II not
quite. as wide as it is deep. In the
building of new houses these re-
Quil ilSul6llo INDY ue Lucl, anu TIE eS-
tablished homes not so ideally To-
Gated may be greatly improved by a /
little well-directed thought and la
Dor.
Natural" Style.
The natural style of landscape
gardening is unquestionably the fa-
vorite one in this country Amy other
would be entirely out of place under |
ordinary country and suburban
conditions, especially where the cost
of construction and maintenance
must be considered This means
that the necessary walks, drives,
fences, ETC., should be laid out in as
natural way as their usefulness
will permit. The planting should |
then be grouped In masses along the
borders and In the angles in such a |
way as to give a natural appearance
to the grounds as whole.
AS a matter of fact, when house
Is built, walk or drive laid out, or
fence built, naturalness is lost to a
certain extent, but by thoughtful
planning, artfcialty of construction
may be greatly lessened and to this
extent naturalness be maintained
Natural lines are always curved
lines. Straight lines are unnatural.
Nevertheless, home grounds exist for
some utilitarian purpose and many
E. l.