20 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



Jan- 



llurctl Slnljitccture. 



a 



ELEVATION. 



FIRST 



SECONU FLOOR. 



PLAN OF A CHEAP COTTAGE. 



Messrs. Editors : — In planning' onr dwellings we 

 men of small means find it prudent to consult more 

 the length of our purses, than our desires for the 

 ornamental or even the most perfect convenience. 

 But we are glad if, in such approximations toward 

 the latter as our means and knowledge permit, we 

 can at all gratify our sense, vague and crude it may 

 be. of the picturesque and beautiful. I am not sure 

 that trie least possible expenditure necessary to the 

 production of a comfortable dwelling is not entirely 

 compatible with the most classical correctness of parte 

 and proportions, and adaptation to site and scenery. 

 However this may be, it does not seem to me to be 

 often done. I do not flatter myself that I have done 

 it in the plans and perspective elevation which I send 

 you herewith. 



But when fatigued by a hard day's labor, I take my 

 seat in the front or parlor end of our one room, (A,) 

 and while listening to, and being rested, by the prat- 

 tle of the wee ones, or talking with a guest, i am 

 under no apprehension of being disturbed by the 

 needful opening of some door ; and, looking across 

 the cooking stove," sec my good wile busied iii pre- 

 paring pur evening meal, with the pantry door, door 

 to the wood-house, cellar door, and door side of the 

 stove, all in her own end, where husband, children, 

 andguesl are out of her way— ] think I have hap- 

 pened to make a pretty large room of lot feet in the 

 clear, by 18, to say nothing of the recess, A\ by 8 



The stove i- placed .lirrrily under the chimnrv. which 

 is built from the ch imber floor. 



feet, where, in an emergency, we can quite conve- 

 niently place a bed, though we have two comfortable 

 bedrooms {a a) up stairs, 9 by 10 J, and 9 by 13 feet, 

 with closets, where the bed-places are not against 

 doors or windows. 



Our entry (B) is only 3 feet 9 inches bv 8 feet 2, 

 but it does very well to hang overcoats and hats, and 

 save wife and children from the cold blast of an open 

 door in a stormy day. The pantry (C) is of the 

 same size ; but having shelves 14 inches wide running 

 the whole length of the right-hand side, and a broad 

 shelf across the end to roll the doughnuts on, with its 

 little flour and meal bins underneath, we think it 

 very convenient. Our wood-house (D) is 12 feet 

 square, and 8 high ; d°, in the chamber plan, repre- 

 sents the roof of it. I mean, in the spring, to put 

 in it a cistern close to the cellar wall, and cover it 

 with rough boards, which extend over one-half the 

 area of the wood-house, which, with the addition of a 

 sink and pump, will make us a good summer kitchen. 



Now, Messrs. Editors, when I take an outside look 

 at our cottage, I cannot help thinking that the pro- 

 portions, 16 by 19, with 12 feet posts, and its brave 

 little rectangular roof, (it looks steeper, more gothic, 

 in the house itself, than in the drawing ; I don't 

 know why, the proportions are the same,) its little 

 addition for hall and pantry of 10 feet 8 inches, by 4 

 feet, 10 feet posts, with its gable end, are pretty fair. 

 And though it is built of rough, upright planks, 

 battened, (it is battened also on the inside, and the 

 laths nailed to the battens ;) yet, with its terraced 

 foundation, its projecting water-table, its perfectly 

 plain though somewhat prominent cornice, and its 

 tessillated windows, with their rough casings, as well 

 as the cornice battens and water-table, lime-washed 

 a slightly lighter stone-color than the planks, the 

 effect is to me rather pleasing. And when we get 

 our little Chinese verandah, 4 by 4 — built on the 

 foundation for it, -which you see I have marked on 

 the ground plan — to shelter the front door, and our 

 fruit trees shall have grown, (by-the-bye, please ask 

 your engraver to anticipate a few of them, for I can't 

 draw trees,) we think the tout ensemble will be quite 

 an advance upon the Yankee-cheap architecture that 

 we see every where about us. G. 8. ( i . 



Remarks. — There is a sad lack of appropriate- 

 ness and convenience, as well as of taste, beauty and 

 true economy, in most of the dwellings occupied by 

 the rural population of America. We vote for an 

 entire and thorough reform in this matter, and intend 

 to do our share to consummate an object so desirable 

 and beneficial, As an initial step in this reformation, 

 we commence at the foot of the ladder, by giving 

 the preceding plan of a Cheap Cottacu: for tenants, 

 laborers and freeholders of small means. Such a 

 cottage as our correspondent describes will cost from 

 $1,50 to $2,25 — according to finish, cost of mate- 

 rials, (which varies in different localities.) and 

 whether built on the cash or "dicker" system. Wo 

 like the design much, and think our readers wilt 

 unite with us in our admiration of iis combined con- 

 veniences and attractions. 



In future numbers we shall give original plans oi 

 larger and more expensi\e dwellings, suitable lor 

 farmers. If any of our readers have any snifirestions 

 or plans which they think will benefit the public, we 

 shall be happy to hear from them. We desire to 

 communicate light upon the important but sadly 

 neglected subject of Rural x\rchitecture. 



