CONSTRUCTION OF A FARM-HOUSE AND OFFICES. 15 



mand, will grudge to lay it out for the comfort and benefit 

 of an industrious tenant, who pays an adequate rent. 

 Every convenience afforded to the farmer, for enabling him 

 to carry on his business with as little expence, and to as 

 much advantage as possible, must indeed greatly enhance 

 the value of the farm, and will insure to the landlord, should 

 he have occasion to seek for a new tenant, abundance of 

 competitors for a situation in these respects so eligible. 



Where convenience and utility are the objects princi- 

 pally attended to, it is recommended by an intelligent 

 agriculturist in Roxburghshire, who has had great ex- 

 perience in the erecting of such buildings, (Mr Walker of 

 Wooden) to have the farm-house of three stories, the 

 kitchen-story half sunk. This makes the house itself drier, 

 as it is necessary to take such peculiar precautions against 

 dampness in the foundation, and less roofing will furnish 

 the farmer with the accommodations he may require. He 

 adds, that he has made plans of farm-houses, both of that 

 construction, and with only two stories, having the kitchen 

 and dairy behind ; but he knows that the house of three 

 stories gives most satisfaction to the occupier. Others ob- 

 ject to this plan, maintaining, that though a half-sunk story 

 may tend to make the upper floor drier, yet that it is very 

 apt to be damp itself; that it likewise gives much more 

 trouble to the mistress of the house in superintendence; 

 and that the noise from tho kitchen is often disagreeable, 

 more especially when a number of servants assemble toge- 



admission of air, to prevent the access of vermin ; and in laying the 

 foundation of barns, that material object, the exclusion of vermin, ought 

 always to be kept in view. If the foundation stones were regularly cut 

 like bricks, and jointed, it would prevent the possibility of vermin getting 

 in at that part of the building. But where it is the custom to have barns, 

 with floors of board, into which loaded waggons are admitted, the exclu- 

 sion of vermin is impossible. 



