Notes on Cottages zvith Cottage Plans 



357 



The great object, then, in deaUng with soils 

 of this kind is to keep them as much as pos- 

 sible from the action of the atmosphere. 

 This can only be effectually accomplished by 

 covering them with a good concrete, which, if 

 properly prepared of sand and gravel, and 

 cemented with a due proportion of lime, be- 

 comes an artificial rock, and capable of bear- 

 any almost any weight that can be placed 

 upon it. Every inequality of settlement and 

 lateral yielding of the supporting material are 

 prevented by adopting this precaution ; and 

 the fractures which so frequently disfigure dif- 

 ferent structures, and endanger their stability, 

 are likewise completely obviated." These 

 remarks epitomise the subject. We will pass 

 on to lay down a few miscellaneous maxims 

 as to site, and dismiss this portion of our 

 subject. 



5. Lord Bacon, with that keenness of 

 observation which distinguished the great 

 inductive philosopher, remarks, " that he who 

 builds a fair house upon an ill seat com- 

 mitteth himself to prison ; neither do I 

 reckon it an ill seat only where the air is 

 unwholesome, but likewise where the air is 

 unequal, as you shall see many fine seats 

 upon a knap of ground, environed with higher 

 hills round about it, whereby the heat of the 

 sun is pent in, and the wind gathereth as in 

 troughs ; so as you shall have, and that sud- 

 denly, as great diversity of heat and cold as 

 if you dwelt in several places." 



6. Mr Sanderson has the following judi- 

 cious remarks, of which we gladly avail 

 ourselves : — " Easy access to public roads 

 and conveyances, with supplies of water and 



fuel, are indispensable requisites in the choice 

 of a situation." 



7. "Again, it is preferable to have a 

 house sheltered by trees than by mountain 

 scenery, because the former afford a cool 

 and refreshing air in the heat of summer, and 

 in winter they serve as a shelter from the 

 keenness of the cold winds which periodically 

 prevail ; while mountains, especially if their 

 position be directly east or south, are sin- 

 gularly disagreeable at certain seasons of the 

 year, and only afford a partial protection from 

 the winds." 



8. " Wherever clouds, also, are frequently 

 gathering, it must be an unhealthy site, 

 for vapours are the natural complement 

 to clouds ; and as they hang about and satu- 

 rate the air with their dampy particles, there 

 may be expected agues, rheumatism, and other 

 ' ills which flesh is heir to,' under such pecu- 

 liar influences." 



9. " A soft breeze, moreover, is prefer- 

 able to a strong wind, but the suffest wind 

 is less hurtful to human health than a heavy 

 and sluggish atmosphere, which generates so 

 many physical inconveniences." 



iG. "It follows, therefore, that the site 

 which can command a good current of air, 

 whether circulating gently or strongly, ought 

 to be chosen before all others for building 

 purposes; and the more we can secure the 

 several advantages just enumerated, the more 

 likely are we to augment the sum of human 

 comfort and convenience in our habitations, 

 at which we are continually aiming, but very 

 rarely attaining." 



VENTILATORS FOR CORN STACKS. 



T N order to afford information on the con- Fig. i represents one form of these venti- 



1 struction of ventilators used in stacking lators, or bosses, as they are called m the 



grain in several parts of this kingdom, we north. It is constructed of three light poles, 



have got the woodcuts embodied in this 8 feet in length, usually the thmnmgs of a 



article prepared, and can assure our readers larch plantation, placed m a triangular form, 



that they will find the ventilators of much and kept apart and steady by means of short 



service, and easily as well as cheaply con- pieces of wood nailed upon them at regular 



_^^^^^cted inter\-als. The three poles are either tied 



