Practical Hints 



327 



Stagings. If one is in anywise particular as to whether his travels over the 

 contractor's stagings are reasonably safe or not, he should watch the building of 

 this structure and assure himself that there be enough nails, and of a size calculated 

 to hold it securely. Some carpenters will pin all their faith to one nail, and often 

 with serious results; another nail or two would cost no more nor take more time 

 in the driving than would the other. 



Stones. Stones used in connection with brickwork in the outside face of a 

 wall must naturally be of a depth to equal a certain number of courses of brick. 

 Therefore it is always advisable that this dimension should be marked on the plans 

 as "so many courses." In this way the stone is bound to match the courses of 

 brick, as a contractor is responsible for the correctness of the figures which he 

 gives to the stonecutter. As bricks vary, it is a common practice to lay up a 

 small portion of wall with such kind as may be specified, and thus the required 

 dimensions are easily gotten from this. 



Do not use stone that has a marked tendency to decay, crumble, or otherwise 

 deteriorate and thus become useless. Some kinds of sandstone decompose more 

 rapidly than is desirable. Examples of this are seen in the badly weatherbeaten 

 brownstone fronts in New York City. A certain sort of granite, called red granite, 

 a product of the eastern part of Massachusetts and containing a considerable 

 quantity of iron, is in some forms very quickly converted into red gravel. 



Timbers. There are often cases where it is better to use timbers made up from 

 two or more smaller timbers than to use one large stick. The reason for this is 

 that any crack or other imperfections occurring in the timber have a tendency to 

 weaken the whole stick, whereas such imperfections in the made-up timber are lim- 

 ited to a single stick, and, as the grain in each stick is different and the sticks 

 fastened securely together, the loss of strength is slight as compared with similar 

 conditions in the single stick. 



Traps. Be sure that the traps in your summer house be filled with water just 

 as soon as the house is opened for the season. The traps are 

 very apt to dry out when not in use. 



Obstructions in traps are often caused by careless children 

 and servants, who throw anything into the waste that they wish 

 to dispose of. Burnt matches and hair are particularly bad for 

 the trap; they should never be thrown into a water closet even. 

 Therefore look often to the traps; it is hard to tell what they 

 may contain. 



Sometimes it may be practical and desirable to connect 

 the waste pipe from the ice chest and the overflow from the 

 attic tank. As it is always best that such pipes should be 

 trapped, owing to the possibility of invasion from insects, this 

 may be effected by using some such made-up form as is shown 

 in Fig. 64. In this manner both pipes are sealed with the same trap, the ice chest 

 furnishing the water. 



Trees. In some parts of the country, particularly on the Maine coast, 

 the spruce tree seems to be condemned at a very early age. Other trees 

 other localities may deteriorate in like manner 



Clean -out: 



Fig. 64. Suggestions 

 for a made-up trap to con- 

 nect both tank overflow and 

 ice-chest overflow 



in 



It is well, therefore, to know 



