166 The Farmsteud 



can easily determine if the bunch is of legal 

 size. A little cheating is not uncommonly done 

 by placing the shingles in the bunch loosely. 

 This can be detected by examining the bunches 

 at the thick ends of the shingles. 



Theoretically, 1,000 shingles should cover 10 

 feet square, or 100 square feet, known in car- 

 pentry as " a square," if the shingles are laid 4 

 inches to the weather. Since shingles are usu- 

 ally laid 4% to 5 inches to the weather, 1,000 

 shingles should cover about 120 square feet. 

 Two -thirds of the lower part of the roof may 

 be laid 4% inches, and the upper third 4% or 

 5 inches to the weather, if the roof is not flat. 



If shingles are treated with lime water or di- 

 luted gas tar, or be painted as they are laid, 

 the life of the roof may be prolonged. The 

 painting of roofs with tar or common earth or 

 mineral paints, after they are laid, does little or 

 no good in preserving them. Sometimes paint- 

 ing is resorted to to make the roof harmonize 

 with the color of the sides of the building. 



Neither extremely narrow nor extremely wide 

 shingles are desirable. Those from 3 to 6 

 inches wide, when carefully laid, are satisfactory. 

 Each shingle should receive but two nails ; one 

 is usually enough, and these should be placed 

 about % of an inch from the edges, and about 

 1 inch above the point where the butts of the 



