Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-04-04
AMONG THE FARMERS.
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Correspondence on practical Agricultural topic
l II solicited. Address all communications N
landed for this department to HnN1Y y
HANHoHD, Agricultural Editor Oxford Dem
ocrat. Paris. Ne.
Farm Home Grounds.
"a. Luris, Instructor In Horticulture. at Farm
ers' Week.)
Human beings are Influenced by theil
environment as we'll as animals anG
plants. Children are especially sensitive
to their surroundings, and 1t 10 because
of the unattractive surroundings that &C
many Of the farm boys leave the farm'
for cities. The farmer owes 1t to him
self az we'll as to his children 10 de-
what be can toward increasing the at
tractiveness of his place. This does moi
mean large expenditure Of money, 81
the materials are found close ut hand In
the fields and pastures, and the time re-
quired is small. The farmer must bear
in mind that there is difference be-
tween house and home. A house ID
merely shelter, q place where people
stay. A homeis house with evidences
that the people who live there are proud
of 1t and have made 1t inviting and at.
tractive.
The first consideration In making
homes attractive is that of neatness. The
most common criticism that is made OF
the farm grounds is that they are untidy.
Broken fences, machinery lying around
the front lawn, woodpile by the door,
litter all around, these are evidences OF
lack of care and the best of planting will
be spoiled by such methods.
Nearly every home has plants around
it and the trouble is not SO much that
people do not plant enough as that they
do not plant in the right places. In
planting some plan ought to be made.
II the farm grounds are not cramped for
room, plant trees in back of the house.
This will set off the house and provide a
screen or windbreak. Let the space in
front of the house be free of plants Of all
sorts and occupied only by an unbroken
lawn. The most common mistake In
farm homo planting is to fill the
lawn with q lot of plants Of all sorts,
punched together here and there and
producing patchy effect.
In most cases the trees and shrubs
ought to be planted along the sides of
the grounds with perhaps tree or two
in the front for shade. The heaviest
planting should of course come upon
the side of the most winds, but In order
to provide q good outlook from the win
dows of the house q spot here and there
in the border should be left open.
Shrubs are seen to the best advantage
when planted against the foundation Of
the house. The shrubbery hides the
foundation and unites the house with
the lawn. Vines are also useful for
binding the house to the lawn and max
ing the whole appear as one. They are
also useful in covering unsightly fences.
Flowers are out of place upon lawn.
They look too artificial, take too much
time to plant and care for, in proportion
to the flowers that they produce, and are
usually out In the middle of the lawn
where grass would look better. There
is place for flowers along the. sides of
the grounds, in borders and behind the
house in q specially reserved place.
Plant chiefly the trees, shrubs, vines
and flowers that are known to thrive in
the locality. The best plants may be
found in the neighborhood or may be
secured from a reliable nursery, and the
list of these for any given locality may
be obtained from the Department of
Horticulture, University of Maine. Do
not plant cut lesved, variegated, weep
ing plants. Do not plant quick growing
and cheap looking trees like poplars,
willows, box elders. Use the perennial
flowers chiehy-those which will come
up every year without any further
trouble, except that they must be divid-
ed every few years.
The lawn is the most important fea-
ture of the grounds and should be made
properly and carefully. The grading
should be done several months previous
to the planting so as to allow the soil to
settle. Prepare the ground deeply, fl
thoroughly and enrich IL with manure
and lime and commercial fertilizers.
Make slight grade away from the
house, to secure drainage and leave no
hollows In which the grass will freeze
out. Sow very thickly and evenly using
mixture of 3S lbs. of red top, Is lbs.
Kentucky blue grass and 6 lbs. white
clover per every 100 square rods.
Walks and drives are necessary evils.
90 far as the looks Of the place are con-
cerned. Therefore, have only those
that are absolutely necessary. II pos
ssible do not allow q drive to bisect q
lawn. II walk is less than so feet long
make 1t straight. Make all longer walks
and drives on direct double curve.
Avoid meandering, serpentiDe curves.
The frs, question that q farmer asks
is: "What will 1t cost?" He feels that
all these things are very nice but he can
not afford them. However, 1t is possible
to make q home attractive without
spending q cent. All that is needed Is
little work. The first item of improve
ment, greater neatness, costs nothing
but an effort. The second item in i'm
provement, the plan, costs nothing but
study. The third item Of Improvement,
the plants, can be mostly secured from
the nearby fields. No plants bought
from q nursery are superior to the wild
ones in the long run, providing proper
care is given. Thus we see that home
improvement needs no money but inter
est and pride.