Exposure and Decay 



127 



the gable is ceiled with plain matched boards, 

 both likely to leak and to rapidly become 

 paintless. 



Many veranda and porch floors and outside 

 doors have no roof over them, or other protec- 

 tion. This is poor economy. It would be better 

 to reduce the cornice to the fewest possible 

 members, if it were necessary to do so, in order 

 to secure means to roof the veranda, which, un- 

 protected, decays rapidly. Or the money ex- 

 pended on the cornice, which results in neither 

 use nor beauty, might well suffice for the 

 building of an additional room, or to provide 

 many conveniences, such as hot and cold water, 

 storm sash, and window screens. 



When the farmer reached the fertile, treeless 



Fig. 38. The old-time gahle end cornice. 



prairies he was compelled to economize in 

 lumber. Some genius soon discovered that the 

 best and most scientific method of constructing 



