The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-11
BEAUTY OF HOME GROUNDS
BY n. n. SHEPARD.

The immediate grounds about the
farm or home dwelling can be made
beautiful and sanitary as few other
places can. The home grounds should
be ample, as large as is consistent with
the size Of the dwelling, and much
larger than most farm home grounds
are.
An acre Is not too much. Some may
think that an acre Of ground Is too
much to waste on simple dooryard,
but it must be remembered that this
part Of the farm is where the farmer
and his family live and spend a great
er part OF their time and that the bet
ter the home grounds the better will be
the life OF the family.
1t Is wrong estimate Of life and
property to be forever making money
to enlarge the farm in area, buying
extra tracts Of land for future use,
and not improve and make the best
of the little spot where the wife and
children must spend nearly all Of the
best part of life.
Some look forward to and prepare
too much pleasure to come and do not
expend any means on making the pres
ent the very best that it can be. They
let the home grounds and surround.
ings remain shabby and unimproved,
expanding the extra money on prop
erty to be handed down to children, or
putting 1t in the bank.
This is wrong when there Is any
neglect in home improvement. II the
children need help, by all means they
need it now while they are helpless
more than when they grow up and will
be able to fully care for themselves,
perhaps much better than we ever
shall be able to care for them.
They need the comforts, healthful-
ness and identifying influences of
good home and surroundings in order
to make them healthy, strong, beauti-
full and good. These are infinitely bet
ter than inherited real estate, per-
sonal property or money.
The child whose home life is perfect
for physical and mental development
will 20 out into the world with rich
heritage. If the home Is beautiful and
attractive the child when grown older
will love to come back to visit the par
ents who made the home.
The grounds surrounding the farm
dwelling should be well drained and
graded to suit the location. The main
open part of the space should be a
lawn Of good grass and be kept mown
low at all times SO that air and sun
light may purify the soil.
The lawn is for use, to walk and
play on, and should be laid out with
that in view. Keep off the grass
may be all right for city parks, but
the home lawn is green-carpeted out
door floor for everyday use.
Abundance Of flowers, shrubs and
trees are essentials for completing the
picture, but flowers and shrubs must
be massed in clumps and borders
along the sides, and the trees must
be grouped in one place, preferably
the rear or somewhat removed from
one side Of the dwelling.
Under the trees, in the cool, shady
part Of the grounds, children's play
house or rustic, open structure is a
| good place for rest and play for both
| young and old. We can never get too
much of the open air, even though we
live in the country; and such a COW
cred place under the trees makes a
| fine nook in which to read or take q
nap and fully enjoy the sweets Of out.
door life.
Such a playhouse is dear to the
hearts of children, and they will spend
many happy hours each day there,
when, If no such provision were made,
they would be in places in which we
would not want them.
For wet weather concrete walks are
comfortable and economical. They are
cheaply and easily made. They need
not necessarily be wide, but there
should be enough Of them so that all
outbuildings and other much-frequent-
| ed places can be reached without
walking on the wet ground. Walks q
foot wide are much better than none