S2G THE FARMERY. [Chap. III. 



throughout the magnificent agricultural districts west of our great inland 

 seas. 



"The increasing value of lumber and labor must turn tlie attention of men 

 of moderate means to those successful plans whicli liave demonstrated econ- 

 omy in both, and at tlie same time preserved the full qualities of strength 

 and security so generally accorded to the old fogy principles of framing, but 

 wliicli, we presume to say, is inferior in all tlie true requisites of clieap and 

 substantial huilding. 



" Any intelligent man wlio can lay out a riglit angle and adjust a plumb 

 line niay do his own l)uilding, for it is witliout a mortice, a tenon, or brace, 

 and a man and boy can do all the work. Tliis principle is the one applied to 

 the construction of wliat are technically as well as sarcastically termed baj- 

 loon frames, whicli, instead of proving a failure, stands with more than 

 .30,000 examples of every conceivable size and form, a perfect success." 



350. How to build Balloon Frames. — The following remarks upon the sub- 

 ject we printed some years ago, not only to show that much labor and much 

 timber may be saved, but that sawed timber may be dispensed witli where 

 it is very expensive. We know that this article enabled many jjersons to 

 build clicap frames, and as it once did good, we reprint it that it may do 

 much more good in future. The remarks were an answer to the inquiry how 

 to build balloon houses. 



"I would saw all my timlicr for a fi-ame house, or ordinary frame out- 

 building, of the following dimensions : two iuclies bj^ eight, two by four, two 

 iiy one. I have sonietimes built them, Avhen I lived on the grand i)rairie 

 of Indiana, many miles from saw-mills, nearly all of split and hewed stuff, 

 making use of rails or round poles, reduced to straight lines and even thick- 

 ness on two sides, for studs and rafters. But sawed stuff is easiest wrought, 

 though in a timber country the other is far the cheapest. First, level your 

 foundation, and lay down two of the two-by-eight pieces, flatwise, for side- 

 sills. Ui)on these set the floor-sleepers on edge, 32 inches apart. Fasten 

 one at each end, and, perhaps, one or two in the middle, if the building is 

 lai-ge, with a wooden pin. These end-sleepers are the endsills. Kow lay 

 the floor, unless you design to have one that would be likely to be injured 

 by the weather before you get the roof on. It is a great saving, though, of 

 labor to l^cgin at the bottom of a house and build up. In laying the floor 

 first, you have no studs to cut and fit around, and can let your boards run 

 out over the end?, just as it happens, and afterward saw them ofl" smooth by 

 the sill. Now set up a corner post, which is nothing but one of the two-by- 

 four studs, fastening the bottom by four nails ; make it plumb, and stay it 

 each Avay. Set another at the other corner, and then mark off your door 

 and window places, and set up the side-studs and put in the frames. Fill 

 up with studs between, 16 inches apart, supporting the top by a line or 

 strip of board from corner to corner, or staid studs between. Kow cover 

 that side with rough sheeting-boards, unless you intend to side up with clap- 

 boards on the studs, which I never would do, except for a small, common 



