Book IV. 



FARM-HOUSES. 



453 



insurance. The fixtures, as the anvil, bellows, bench, vice, lathe, &c. and some of the 

 larger tools, belong to the farmer, but the others the mechanics bring with them. A 

 small stock of iron, steel, and timber is kept, to be in readiness ; and also the cast-iron 

 work of ploughs, carts, &c., and sometimes the smaller pinions, and other parts of the 

 threshing machines. 



Sect. III. The Farmer s Dwelling-house. 



2870. The dwelling-house of the farmer is generally detached from the farmery on the 

 south side, and separated from it by a road, gi-ass-plat, garden, or pond, or all of these, 

 according to circumstances. In size and accommodations it ought to be proportioned to 

 the capital requisite for the farm ; that is, it ought to be on a par with the houses of other 

 members of society of similar property and income. In design it ought to be simple and 

 unostentatious, utility and convenience being its recommendatory beauties. At the same 

 time, as observed in the Code of Agriculture, " every landlord of taste, in fixing on the 

 site and plan of a new farm-house and offices, ought certainly not to overlook the 

 embellishment of the country. " How much of the beauty of a country, and of the ideas 

 of the comfort and happiness of its inhabitants, depends on the appearance of its farm- 

 houses and cottages, every traveller is aware ; and every agriculturist who has travelled 

 through the British Isles can recognise at once a well cultivated district by the forms of 

 the farm-yards, and the position of the farmer's dwelling-house. The difference between 

 the best and worst cultivated English counties in this respect is sufficiently striking ; and 

 the ideas of wealth, comfort, order, and scientific agriculture, which the farmeries and 

 cottages of Northumberland and Berwickshire excite in the mind, are totally unfelt in 

 passing through even Hertfordshire and Essex ; where the scattered straggling hovels of 

 all sizes and shapes, the monstrous barns, and ricketty shapeless farm-houses, indicate a 

 low state of culture, and an ignorant tasteless set of occupiers. Even in Norfolk and 

 Suffialk the want of symmetry in the farmeries of opulent farmers is eveiy where 

 conspicuous ; and the want of taste and decorum in setting the dwelling-houses among 

 dung heaps and urine ponds no less so. 



2871. In selecting a few examples of firm-houses, the first we shall notice is that of the 

 smallest size, where the farmer keeps no servant and cultivates only a few acres. The 

 ground plan of such a house {fig. 422.) should contain an entry (a); kitchen (6); 

 dairy and pantry (c) ; parlour (rf) ; light closet off the parlour as a store-room, or for a 

 bed (e) ; tool-house (/); stair, and cellar under {g) ', water-closet, and poultry-house 

 over (/i) ; there are three bed-rooms in the ^^^r. 



roof, and one garret. The dimensions may ^^ 423 



be varied at pleasure ; but twelve feet square 

 is the least dimension that can be given to 

 the kitchen and parlours. 



2872. A farm-house (f the smallest size (fig. 423.), where the poultry and tool houses 

 are in the farm-yard, but where the farmer keeps only one servant, and works and lives 

 with him, may contain an entrance and stair (a) ; kitchen, closet, and oven (6) ; back- 

 kitchen (c) ; dairy (rf) ; parlour (e) ; bedroom (/) ; with three bedrooms and a 



Gg 3 



