Make Surroundings Attractive

A recent numberof Garden and Forest contains a thoughtf ui essay on the actual money to be made by improving country roads and making villaje and farm surroundings attractive. The writer says: One of the strongest considerations in favor of preserving the forests in mountairi regions like that of New Hampshire is tliat they olïer irresistible inducenient to people in the city who are looking for suinnier resorts. Jlany people have come to consider a summer residence among the hills as essential to tlieir comfort as a winter home in tlio city, and the growing practice among those who caiinot affurd to support more than one establishment of spending some weeks or months away from the confinement of city Ufe, makes it a matter of importance that provisión sliould be made for those who find health and pleasure in the woods and amid the scenery of wild nature. It would be hard to estímate the direct pecuniary advantage vvhich a state like New Hampshire derives from this tide of summer travel which flows tovvards her mountains all summer long. Every one of these visitors, in some way or other, helps the entire community upon which he dependa for a certain time each year for his pleasure and subsistence; and it would notbe difficult to prove that the actual and prospective revenue derived from this sourco is so important that the value of the material producís of the forests of the state, even under the wisest management, would be insignificant by comparison. But it should not be forgotten that there are tliousands of people from the cities who, in6tead of resorting to niountain and forest regions, or to the shores of the ocean, prefer to spend their sumsiers in quiet country viilages and farm houses. Of course it is quite as much to the interest of rural communities to make their DeiRhborhood attractive as it is for the owjiers of sea coast and mountain land. It is true that this should not be considered as the chief reason for efforts to improve the appearanco and add to the convenience and comfort of country towus. Socicties for rural improvement accomplish a good work when they brighten in any way wliat is often the dull fiide of country life. Every attempt to beautify the surroundings of country homes and make them attractive brings its own reward in the happier life of thbso who inhabit these homes. But apart from this tliere is a tangible business advantage to be gained by country villages when they are made specially attractive to city visitors; and this profit accrues not to the village alone, but to all the surrounding región, when the farm houses are open to paying oceupation and a market is provided for the products of the farm. It happens in this way that to the population of a large district it is a matter of actual profit to have the neighboring villages and towns made attractive. The first work in this direction is to improve tho roads so that there is some pleasure, or at least some comfort, in traveling abroad. A visitor who reaches a village over a muddy and rough highway receives no good impression of il, and as the road is also the last thing as well as tlu first thing which attracts hia attention, bad roads are among the most repellant and disagreeable features which any community can present. But where the roads are smooth and liard, with little dust and mud, and where good footpaths abound, a Btrotlg inducement is presented to those who love to pass much time in the open air. Of course this is but one feature of the reform in any community. Bhady walks, roadsides clean and bordered w itli slirubs, where this is practicable; farmyards freo from unsightly objects, gardens neatly planted and kept - all these things not only delight the eye, as raauifestations of beauty and order always do, but they suggest a cleanliness and propriety in all the details of life, and a proper regard for health and comfort; they give assurance of good drainage and pure air, and all other conditions which make a sojourn in the country desirable and beneficia!. Now, inasmuch as all the inhabitants of a given district are interested in matters of this sort, combined action is naturally suggested. The influeiice of personal exatnple is undoubtedly great, and many a man, by the proper ordering of his own grounds, has set a pattern which lias been followed by his neighbors until an entire community has been regenerated. But, after all, these matters can be muco more efficiently carried on if it is done in an organized way. Many a town in New England and in the middle states has become prosperous because wealthy men frorn distant cities havo bought lands near by, which have been transformed into beautiful parks, stocked with well bred cattle and horses, All this was brought about because Ín the beginning there wasunity of purpose in the community to make the town attractive, and transient guests were induced to become permanent residents. Examples like this should be an encouragement to all country neighborhoods, and especially to such as have somo natural advantages. There will be 110 abandoned farms in a región where there is associated effort for rural imi)rovement. Such effort cannot fail, in any event, to add to the comfort and pleasures of rural life, and it is more than probable thut it will insure a more substantial return in actual revenue than any other equal outlay in hatever direction it is invested. A ncw tire ordinance went into effect in St. Louis Jan. 1, It provides for a doublé tax to be levied on all vehicles that do not have tires of speciüed width. The width of tire is to be proportioned to the size of the axle. A steel or iron axle ose and one-quarter inches must have tire at least one and one-eighth iuchea wide, and so up to four inch axle, which requires five inch tire. A like set of Bpecifications are given for wooden axles. Vehicles with axles less than one and one-quarter inches are not subject to the ordinance.