1856. 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



273 





^^^•sSi^JIf^fe 



EUEAL HOMES. 



We have taken considerable pains, and incurred 

 some expense, in lapng before the reader a variety 

 of styles of dwelling-houses, and the outbuildings 

 which usually surround them. The wide circula- 

 cf this journal demands this variety, because it goes 

 into the hands of all classes of our people, each of 

 which may find something in it to meet its general 

 wants. The architectural rules which have from 

 time to time been given, are from the best works on 

 the subject which our country affords ; and if they 

 have not always met the exact wishes of the person 

 building, they have, at least, presented a number of 

 views of the case, and enabled him so to mingle 

 them with his own, as to produce something near 

 the desired result. 



It is not easy to say what shall be the architectu- 

 ral style of a dwelling — what pitch its roof, how 

 high its posts, what point of the compass its front 

 shall face, or what ornamental work it shall receive, 

 because every locaHty in the country requires some- 

 thing appropriate to its own position and its gener- 

 al surroundings. A square brick house, in the 



country, with contracted gables and eves, and stand- 

 ing in the midst of a beautiful grove, would strike 

 the most unobser\dng as sadly out of taste, and a 

 blotch upon the natural objects about it. A cor- 

 rect taste may build in such a spot so that there 

 would be harmony between the buildings, the loca- 

 tion and the immediate scenery, upon which the 

 eye would dwell with pleasure, and nothing but 

 agreeable emotions be excited in the mind. This 

 taste we may greatly improve by attention and cul- 

 tivation. To this end we make these suggestions 

 and present our engraving. 



The appearance of the rural homes of New Eng 

 land has greatly changed during the last fifty years, 



and changed for the better. We are told that 

 forty or fifty years ago there were two classes of 

 farm houses prevalent, and that he was a bold in- 

 novator who broke away from the style which had 

 been adopted and sanctioned by almost universal 

 consent. One of these styles was a large two-story 

 square house, with two front rooms, with a front 

 door between them, but no hall through the house, 



