M I N U T E S Nov. 



3 2 ' On this fleakiog the main covering is hid, 



an< ^ fa ^ ene ^ down to the fpars bv means of long 

 rods provincial])-, " fways" hid acrofs the 

 middle of the reed, and tied to the fpars with 

 rope yarn ; or with " bramble bonds -," which, 

 formerly, were much in ufc ; but which arc 

 now pretty much laid afide, cfpccially for new 

 roofs. 



Reed is not laid on in longitudinal courfes, 

 in the manner that ftraw-thatch is ufually put 

 On, nor is the whole eaves fet at once. The 

 workman begins at the lower corner of the 

 roof, on' his right .hand for inftance, and keeps 

 an irregular diagonal line, or face, until he 

 reach the upper corner to his left. 



A narrow eaves-board being nailed acrofs the 

 feet of the fpars, and fome fleaking fcattered 

 on, the thatcher begins to " fet his eaves," by 

 laying a coat of reed^ eight or ten inches thick, 

 with the heads refting upon the fleaking, and 

 the butts upon the eaves-board. He then lays 

 on his fway (a rod about the fize of a fmall 

 edder ) about fix or eight inches from the lower 

 points of the reed ; \vhilft his affiftant, on the 

 infide, runs a needle, threaded with rope yarn, 

 clofe to the fpar; and, in this cafe, clofe to 

 the upper edge of the eaves-board. The 



thatcher 



