112 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



estates. The risk from fire is also to be considered, aud also 

 the rates of iusurance. 



As regards cost of construction, I may say that any farmer 

 in Massachusetts can build of bowlder stones cheaper than of 

 wood, provided he has the stones convenient of access, and 

 possesses a fair share of perseverance and skill. In case 

 any of you, gentlemen, desire to replace your wooden build- 

 ings with stone, I would advise you to move in the matter 

 leisurely. Take time for the work, and do a large share of it 

 yourselves. The expense of the mason-work proper is but a 

 small proportion of the cost, and this, with the inside finish 

 of wood, which may be as plain as is desired, is about all 

 that will require a direct outlay of money. The outside 

 material costs you nothing; the lime and cement are not 

 expensive at the present time ; and, so I say, for a less expend- 

 iture of money, more camfortable and tasty dwellings and out- 

 buildings of stone can be erected than of any other material. 

 The labor can be performed in the winter months, and it 

 should be understood that it is not necessary to hammer or 

 form faces upon the bowlders, in order to secure beauty of 

 design or finish. The stones taken from the fields and placed 

 in walls, with very little hammering, give most pleasing 

 results. Of this description is the new and beautiful dwell- 

 ing erected recently by Mr. Mitchell (Ike Marvel) at Xew 

 Haven. The round bowlders are placed in the walls without 

 a hammer being allowed to touch them, and the eflect is very 

 fine. If split bowlders are desired, you can do your own 

 splitting, and not only that, but you can make your own tools, 

 drills, wedges, etc. 



For about twenty-five dollars you can buy a portable forge, 

 — and, by the way, it is an implement which every farmer 

 should have, — aud with this you can make the steel tools 

 required, and temper and sharpen them when dull. I sj)eak 

 in this matter from experience, and therefore I speak confi- 

 dently. 



There exists a prejudice with some against stone structures, 

 on the ground that they are cold and damp. This objection I 

 have found to be groundless. I left my buildings last winter, 

 freshly constructed as they were, without artificial heat, and 

 I found no evidence of moisture, not a single door in the 



