32 The Housi)ig of the Agricultural Labourer. 



in which the countryman differs from the townsman ib worthy 

 of note ; as a rule he possesses double beds only, so there must 

 be a convenient place for a bed measuring at least 4 ft. 6 in. by 

 6 ft. G in. in even the smallest room. A long room, provided 

 it be not less than 7 ft. wide, will generally be more convenient 

 than a square one of the same area, as it affords more wall 

 space for the placing of fui^niture. Fireplaces are generally 

 provided in at least two of the three bedrooms, and local by- 

 laws usually stipulate that air bricks shall be provided as 

 ventilators in rooms without flues. In practice it is invariably 

 found that the occupants close these ventilators by pasting paper 

 over them, and accordingly the window should be so arranged 

 that, when open, it will not cause a draught about the ))ed, so that 

 there may be the least temptation to keep it shut. At least 

 one good cupboard, which can generally be contrived on a 

 bulkhead over the stairs, should be provided, and shallow 

 hanging cupboards with shelf and hook rail, which can be 

 covered with a curtain, are very useful in the bedrooms. 



The plans shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are given to illus- 

 trate the practical application of the foregoing remarks. It is 

 not for one moment suggested that they represent ideal 

 cottages, but it is believed that they represent a type of house 

 that would promote a higher standard of living, and one that 

 would be more acceptable to the majority of agricultural 

 labourers than the type that is usually provided for them at 

 the present time, without being more expensive. Fig. 2 

 shows a design for a pair of cottages with one outer door 

 each, suitable for north and south aspects, and adapted 

 for a site on either side of a road running east and west. 

 As will be seen from the block plans the outbuildings 

 could be reversed according to the position of the approach 

 road. The accommodation provided is identical with that 

 above suggested as desirable, so a detailed description of the 

 plan is iinnecessary. A similar pair of cottages adapted for 

 east or west aspects is shown in Fig. 3. Preferably the kitchen 

 side should be slightly inclined towards the south. A bath is 

 indicated in the wash-house, and a tool or wood house is pro- 

 vided in the main block in addition to a coal shed in an out- 

 building. This might be enlarged by slightly reducing the size 

 of the wash-house, and it could then be used for coal, so that 

 the E.G. would be the only outbuilding required. The extension 

 of the out-buildings at the sides of the cottages as shown in 

 these two plans necessitates very long frontages, but as a rule 

 this is not a matter of any moment in agricultural districts. 



Fig. 4 shows a single cottage designed on the same lines, 

 but with both front and back doors. This plan is adapted for 

 a south or south-east aspect with the approach road either on 



