The Monticellonian., 1916-08-17
BEAUTY OF HOME GROUNDS
By H. H. 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 he 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 great CT part of their time, and that the bet ter the home grounds the better will be the life of the family
 It is Il 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 es, the little spot where the wife and children must spend nearly all of the hest part of life.
 Some look forward to and prepare too much pleasure to come and dc not exRend any means on making the pres ent the very best that if can be. They let the home grounds and surround ings remain shabby and unmproyed. expending the extra money on prop erty to be handed down to children or quitting 1t in the bank
 This is wrong when there is any neglect in home Improvement If 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 he able to care for them
 They need the comforts. healthful- ness and beautifying influences of good home and surroundings in order to make them healthy strong. beauti- ful 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 go out into the world with d rich heritage. If the home is beautiful and attractive the child when grown older will love to come back to visit the par ents wfo 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 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 q 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, a 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 q GOV cred place under the trees makes a fine nook in which to read or take a nap and fully enjoy the sweets of out door life.
 Such 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 a foot wide are much better than none,