852 



Farm Houses. 



OL. 



III. 



basis of acidity, with which all putrid sub- 

 Ktanccs are highly charged, so calcareous 

 substances, and especially lime, its natural 

 opponent, are exactly calculated to produce 

 the effects contemplated." 



It is to be hoped, tiiat every one, havinor 

 peach trees in a declinincf state, will imme- 

 diately determine to give the thing a fair 

 trial; and during the summer, while the 

 trees are in a bearing state, will be the best 

 time, to enable them to bring their fruit to 

 perfection and preserve them from a prema- 

 ture autumnal decay. 



Pliiladclphia county, 20th May, lfc39. 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 



Fariit IIoMSCs. 

 In a general travel through our State, it 

 must be apparent, even to a casual observer, 

 that very little skill and judgment has been 

 manifested in times past, both as respects lo- 

 cation and the arrangement or plan of farm 

 buildings. No uniformity of building is ob- 

 served Tn the country ; and perhaps it would 

 be impossible to adopt any one plan, however 

 superior, as a great variety of circumstances 

 would necessarily interpose ; but the greatest 

 obstacle in my opinion, is the great diversity of 

 taste, and the overpowing desire of imitating 

 fashionable methods. At present, and for 

 some few years past, it has been the prevail- 

 ing error, especially of those just entering 

 upon the scenes of this busy life, to erect too 

 large and expensive houses. Large sums 

 that should have been expended in the erec- 

 tion of neat, substantial, and convenient out 

 buildings for the accommodation of stock and 

 the storing of produce, or applied to the pur- 

 chase of manure for enriching the earth, have 

 been needlessly and foolishly squandered in 

 building up a fine showey house, and filling 

 it with fashionable and costly furniture. One 

 piece of extravagance begets another. Ex- 

 ample is powerful And in many cases where 

 those who can well afford to spend thousands 

 in the erection of costly buildings, do so, a 

 neighborhood is infected, the weak minded 

 brethren suffer, as they generally follow suit, 

 and I have on more than one occasion seen 

 verified the assertion of one of your corres- 

 pondents, to wit : " / have seen a fanner 

 build a house so large and fine that the she- 

 riff turned him out of doors.'''' Who has not 

 seen this] And again, who has not seen 

 many a house standing in the country half 

 finished, because the owner laid the founda- 

 tions and erected the frame for one as large 

 again as his wants required or his means 

 would justify. These are evils that require 

 prompt and thorough correction. False pride 

 is at the bottom ; it is the very root ; it is a 

 noxious plant, worse than the Canada thistle; 



it will not answer to lop off a branch here 

 and there ; there is but one way to rid our- 

 selves of it, and that is to tear it up by the 

 roots. Let our young farmers attend to this 

 matter. 



^ There are several requisites to be observed 

 in building. 1. Location — A healthy spot, 

 near unfailing water, as near the centre of 

 the farm as possible, and so as to overlook the 

 whole. Although the farm may be very lurge, 

 if so situated, the proprietor, when not in the 

 field himself, may have a fair view of the ope- 

 rations of hands by the use of a telescope, al- 

 though they may be employed in different 

 parts. 



2. The best materials are the cheapest in 

 the long run ; but no general direction can 

 be given on this point, as the materials to be 

 used miif=t vary according to those abounding 

 in the district in which the buildings are to 

 be erected. 



3. The plan should be well matured, and 

 special regard be had to economy, comfort, 

 convenience, neatness, and simplicity; dis- 

 carding wholly the fashionable adornments 

 of the day. Your cellars should be well ven- 

 tilated, and flues so constructed as to let off 

 the foul air in winter as well as summer. — 

 Let the foundations of the building be laid 

 well, but never where it is damp or springy. 

 This is an insuperable objection. A dry 

 situation is indispensable. A damp house 

 can never be a healthy habitation. See 

 to this matter, and submit to other inconve- 

 niences rather than to this positive evil. I 

 would here recommend to all about building, 

 or re-roofing their present buildings, to cause 

 the shingles to be well saturated in a prepara- 

 tion of iime water for 36 or 48 hours. Dry 

 them before putting on — and I hazard noth- 

 ing in saying that so powerful is the anti- 



j sceptic properties of the lime thus imbibed, 

 that they will last double the length of time 

 of shingles applied without the benefit of pre- 

 paration. 



4. The same general principles should gov- 

 ern in the arrangements of the garden, the 

 small out building for poultry, &c., immedi- 

 ately in connection with the house, and which 

 are supposed to be mostly under the mqnagc- 

 ment of the female members of the family. 

 It might also be well, while building, to 

 appropriate a portion of the attic to a bee 

 house. 



I love to see a house well shaded — the 

 fences and out buildings white-washed — the 

 yard properly arranged, and in good order — 

 " A place for every thing, and every thing in 

 its place." This, of itself, indicates thrift, 

 contentment, peace. 



" Let order o'er your time preside 

 " And method all your business guide ; 



