The Country House 



Old gates at Medford, Mass. An examp!; of the classic influ- 

 ence in wood. Cost about $100 



may be necessary and unsightly should be enclosed within a small kitchen yard. 

 Many examples of the English thatch cottage are excellent suggestions for the 



lodge. As a matter of fact, the gate 

 lodge is used so comparatively little, 

 and then only on the largest estates, 

 and its purpose is so simple and on 

 ordinary house lines, that its further 

 discussion would be of little interest or 

 instruction. 



Nowadays the question with the 

 householder is whether he will economise 

 on fencing and open up his grounds to 

 the tender considerations of the public, 

 or whether he will build a barrier of 

 sufficient formidableness to reserve a 

 small fraction of his private estate for 

 his own personal use. 



It is far from necessary to go into 

 a lengthy argument to prove that the 

 public at large will make common prop- 

 erty of anything foolishly left expo.M-d. 



It cares nothing for an edge stone; a few will respect a hedge or low wall, and a 

 slightly larger percentage will not climb a picket fence, owing to the difficulty 

 involved. There are those, however, who will get on the other side, even if they 

 have to resort to an axe or a scaling ladder; this class can be quietly killed and 

 buried without awakening any great protest from the outside world. 



As it is believed that privacy is the fundamental basis 

 upon which the existence of private grounds depends, the edge 

 stone or curb is hardly worthy of consideration. 



The next step is the wall (see Fig. 54). This is 

 usually laid in rough field stone, quarry-faced ashlar or 

 brick. All such work should be laid in one-third cement 

 mortar, owing to its exposure to the weather; and care 

 should be taken that the joints are weather struck, in the 

 case of rough stone, so that water will not run into the 

 wall. The foundation of all walls and gate posts should 

 extend to from 3 to 5 feet below grade to avoid heaving 

 from frost, and should be set on footing stones, projecting 

 at least 4 to 6 inches on either side of the wall. Like the 

 house foundation, there should be no projecting parts below 

 ground for the frost to get a purchase on. 



The treatment of the top of the wall is an important 

 consideration. In the cases of ashlar-faced stone and 

 brick, a stone cap is necessary. This should project an 

 inch or so beyond the faces of the wall, and, if flat, can be 

 made of slabs of slate or North River stone. It should 



Fig. 54. Sections of simple 

 wooden picket fence and rough 

 stone wall 



a. Fence post 



b. Top rail 



c. Bottom rail 



d. Picket 



e. Base board 



f. Gate post 



. Cap stone 

 . Footing stone 



