THE YOUNG FARMERS MANUAL. 43 



sometimes a driving storm will force the water through small 

 cracks, so that it will be very difficult to determine from what 

 source it comes. And may times, in cleaning house, some do 

 mestics will have every floor in the house completely deluged 

 with water, which flows into mortises and checks, and soon causes 

 decay. "When my dwelling-house was erected, a hole was bored 

 with a large bit in the side of the timber at the bottom of every 

 mortice, and other cavities in the frame. 



34. As there are so many manufactories throughout the coun 

 try of window blinds, sash, and panel doors, the beginner will find 

 it most economical usually to purchase such articles ready made ; 

 because all such things when made by machinery are neater and 

 truer than the majority of mechanics will make them, even if they 

 have ability to do it as well. Panel doors should be allowed to 

 season nearly a year before they are pinned together, and then 

 they will not shrink after they have been hung. 



VALUE OF BASSWOOD. 



35. "Whenever a man is located where pine lumber is scarce, 

 and very costly, and other timber is abundant, such as basswood, 

 whitewood, butternut, chestnut, and some other kinds of wood, 

 they may be used instead of pine. For inside panel doors, bass- 

 wood, for both stiles and panels, is equally as good as pine. 

 "When I built my house I used basswood for many jamb casings, 

 and for the face casings, and for outside doors as well as inside. 

 Basswood is better to paint on than good pine ; and will be as 

 durable as pine if it is kept well painted. Some of the face cas 

 ings in my parlor are basswood, some butternut, and some pine. 

 They are painted white ; and nearly every stick of pine can 

 be selected, because the coloring matter in the pine has struck 

 through the paint, notwithstanding it has been well painted four 

 times. Basswood siding is now coming into very extensive use ; 

 and if I were to build a house, or any other building, and had 

 good basswood on my own land, I would not hesitate to use it for 

 siding, doors, and all kinds of casings, and for floors. 



36. Basswood Shingles. In localities where pine and hemlock 



