43 



By this mode of proceeding, the stones form rather more 

 than half of the bulk of tlie wall, so that one part of unslaked 

 lime will build from 10 to 20 parts of the work, and one cask 

 of it weighing about 300 lbs., will be suIUcient to construct 

 from SO to 100 cubic feet. 



This proportion of lime is, I am aware, larger than that 

 recommended ; but, although perhaps the lesser proportion 

 would, after the building should be finished, answer as 

 good a purpose, yet it renders the walls less stable in the 

 process of construction, and permits a greater liability to the 

 occurrence of accidents. 



One peculiarity in this mode of doing the work consists in 

 placing each stone into the wall by hand, rather than by 

 mixing them up with the bulk of the mortar, and throwing 

 the whole into the mould with a shovel. There is but little 

 gained in the saving of labor by the latter plan, while there 

 is a decided difference in the solidity of the whole work in 

 favor of the former. 



Another point to which I would call attention, is that in 

 reference to the thickness of walls. If the ground is of a 

 dry, gravelly nature, 1 would commence this wall upon the. 

 cellar bottom, making it from 16 to 20, — 24, or even 30 inches 

 thick, according to the size or height of the proposed build- 

 ing. Above the first floor, the thickness should be from 10 

 inches, (the least for a small two story house,) up to 18 or 

 24 inches thick, which latter would probably be sufiicient 

 for large stores or other heavy buildings of more than two 

 stories. By being over cofindent in the strength of the wall, 

 or two sparing in the amount of material used, we may loose 

 the whole of our labor, as has imfortunately occurred in one 

 or two instances during the past season, by the falling of the 

 whole structure after the walls had been completed. This 

 result should be the less excusable, from the fact that the 

 diflTerence in the cost between a substantial, and an imper- 

 fectly constructed wall, is, as will hereafter appear, but 

 trifling, and bears no comparison with the diff'erence of the 

 risk in the two cases. 



