Selection of the Site 



ii 



of great importance to see that the house and stable drain will not come too 

 near or interfere with your drinking water, and that its final disposition shall be at 

 a considerable distance from it and the house. 



It is the natural possibilities of the site that should appeal to the pro- 

 spective builder and be taken advantage of as far as possible. Elevation is a good 

 thing, but if it necessitates much of a climb it should be avoided. Trees, too, 

 are excellent, but their close proximity to the house should not be considered, as 

 they shut in the view, hinder the circulation of air, help to decay the shingle roof, 

 and fill the gutters with litter that eventually decays those of wood and clogs the 

 conductors. Neither should they shut off the sun too completely a certain 

 amount of it is necessary. On the other hand, they may serve as a wind shield 

 to cut off the house from the north or other points of the compass from which 

 cold winds blow. Unless a hardwood growth is quite thick it will become use- 

 less for this purpose in winter, and even if close it becomes little more than a 

 "strainer." Often the house can be shielded from the wind by setting it in 

 the lee of rising ground. 



It is not only in the winter that cold winds blow, but during the summer and 

 fall one is likely to experience considerable discomfort from them. A thorough 

 knowledge of the locality beforehand will tell one what to expect and guard against. 



The outlook is, of course, one* of the things which one naturally does not 

 forget to consider; but it is not necessary to cut out every tree which comes 

 anywhere near it. Vistas can be cut, or, as in the case of the sweeping view, the 

 trees can be thinned out and trimmed so as to make it count for more and 

 become more interesting than the frankly open sweep. 



Consider your building from the point of view of material at hand. Wood is 

 always safe, but in a rocky country the rough stone, with proper surroundings, 

 is excellent. Gener- 

 ally speaking, stone 

 harmonises best with 

 soft wood growth, 

 while brick seems to 

 be best adapted to 

 tht deciduous tree. 

 Wood can be han- 

 dled to go with 

 either. The cedar, 

 being more formal, 

 can be used in com- 

 bination with any 

 material. Plaster (or 

 rough-cast) is, ac- 

 cording to its treat- 

 ment, possible anywhere. The above generalities are not laid down as infallible 

 rules, but, broadly speaking, they apply. It is readily seen that the utilisation of the 

 handy material has another advantage that of cheapness. This little item is not 

 to be sneezed at, considering the present rates of labour and material. 



An estate on the Hudson River. The long undulating lines of the land add much to the 

 character and possibilities of the place 



