CHAPTER VII 



PLAXyiXG RURAL BUILDINGS 



The farm house is not what is called a 

 "paying investment." It is not a direct source 

 of income ; neither can the other rural build- 

 ings be said to produce a direct income. Gen- 

 erally speaking, the farm house can fulfil but 

 four purposes if j)roperly planned and well con- 

 structed : the house may serve to keej) the 

 family warm in cold weather, cool in hot 

 weather, dry in wet weather, and to gratify a 

 love for the beautiful. Since the farm house as 

 a paying investment is usually a failure, if it 

 does not supply the wants of the household and 

 fulfil its object, it becomes a failure indeed. 

 The first great mistake which the prosperous 

 farmer usually makes is to invest too much 

 money in expensive, hastily planned buildings. 

 The house should be built to serve its inmates ; too 

 often the inmates become the servants of the house. 

 A farmer's wife cannot well afford to devote one 

 room in the overcrowded house to the storage of 

 expensive, useless upholstery and bric-a-brac, 

 nor time to keep them presentable and in order. 



(87) 



