42 



Jabez Fisher's Statement. 



I submit for the consideration of the " Committee on Ex- 

 periments connected with the pursuit of Agriculture," my 

 farm buildings, with reference mainly to the materials of 

 which they are constructed. 



I do not pretend to anything like originality in this experi- 

 ment, but merely claim to have demonstrated to whomsoever 

 will take the pains to examine the work, the feasibility of the 

 plan as first published to the world by O. S. Fowler, in a 

 a work entitled " Homes for All," «fcc. 



In some of the practical details 1 have differed some- 

 what from the plans as laid down by the author of that 

 work, but in the main leading features, we are agreed. I 

 propose, however, to offer some general considerations such 

 as have been suggested by my experience, and at the same 

 time point out certain difficulties which might occur to the 

 embarassmentof the builder, and which would tend to destroy 

 the confidence of the public in the whole plan. 



Instead of the ordinary quality of shell-lime recommended, 

 I would use in all cases where it could be obtained, the best of 

 stone lime, as being the mure profitable article. After slak- 

 ing this lime in the manner proposed, instead of adding the 

 stones and gravel together, I should prefer, unless the stones 

 were all quite small, to add the gravel alone, in the propor- 

 tion of eight or ten parts to one of unslaked lime. The gravel 

 ought to be coarse and sharp, free from fine sand or anything 

 of the character of loam. After being thoroughly mixed, I 

 shovel a layer of this mortar into the mould in which the wall 

 is to be formed, some two or three inches deep. Stones of 

 any shape or size, limited only by the thickness of the wall, 

 are then bedded firmly into the mortar in such a manner 

 that the stones may occupji^ all the space possible, with only 

 just enough of the mortar to bind the whole firmly together 

 and render it solid. A. second layer of the mortar is then put 

 in as before, followed by more stones, and this process is re- 

 peated until the mould is filled. 



