265 Method of constructing 



size is wanted ; but if many, the readiest way would be to 

 make some rough frames of boards of width equal to thick- 

 ness of walls, and place them in the situation ol the windows 

 and doors. When done, the earth is rammed up to them, 

 laying bond timber at the sides and lintels over them. In 

 both cases the windows and door-frames are to be put in 

 their places and fastened to the bond -timber, after the wall 

 is up. The bond timber, lintel, and plates, should be kept 

 as thin as possible, in order to prevent any disagreement be- 

 tween the earth and timber in the shrinking or drying; of 

 the same. The bond timber about 4 inches by l-i-; floor or 

 wall plates 6 inches by 2; lintels about 4 inches thick ; and 

 it may be worthy of notice that any slabs or rough stuff may 

 be used, the earth being sure to ram close to it and keep it 

 in place. 



For common cottages, when the whole of the walls are 

 up and covered in, the holes should- be stopped with very 

 coarse mortar made the same as the facing stuff, but used 

 wetter, and the wall then lime-washed over with lime and 

 sharp sand, which should be made up in small quantities 

 and used while hot. This may readily be done by adding a 

 knob of lime and sand a little at a time as it is used. 



For better kind of cottages the better sort of facing stuff 

 may be used, and then, as before, the whole lime-whited; 

 cr if it be required to* make the finishing as perfect as pos- 

 sible, the following is the best" mode, viz. with water and a 

 brush thoroughly wet and soak the face of the wall for two 

 or three yards in stiperfjcie at a time; all which part, during 

 the said wetting, should be continually rubbed and worked 

 apout with a hand float, till such time the face is rubbed 

 smooth and even, by which the facing composition will so 

 wash upas to become a pleasant regularcolour, theface smooth 

 and hard when dry, and not liable to scale off as a coat of 

 plastering would do. This finishing will be still improved 

 by a small quantity of lime bein£ put in the water used for 

 soaking the face, and if, after the wall is well soaked and 

 rubbed, as above mentioned, there be thrown thereon with 

 a brush some of the lime and sand, (such as used for lime- 

 whiting,) and that also worked into the face; theface will 

 then become as perfect; and hard as stucco. 



Having explained the frames as constructed by me for 

 performing earth walling, as also the manner of finishing \X X 

 I beg leave to lay before the Society some observations on 

 these, compared with the original French means and man- 

 ner of performing the same, as described in the first volume 

 of pommunications to the Board of Agriculture. 



The 



