AGRICULTURE OX THE RHINE. 95 



water to the stable, or a shorter drive for cattle to water, to 

 say nothing of the convenience to ducks and geese, who can 

 waddle and sleek their feathers in the brook almost under 

 the eyes of their owner, and of its utility to the washing 

 part of the family, whose bare legs and much-used linen 

 are unanimously allowed in no way to contaminate the 

 living stream, which indeed they rarely tincture with 

 soap. 



The houses themselves offer a contrast to the dimi- 

 nutive holdings of which they are representatives. As 

 we have already observed, they are out of all proportion 

 large. In the Duchy of Cleves, they are moderate for 

 the most part, owing to the gradually obtaining distinction 

 between the agricultural and the other industrious classes, 

 which tends to take land away from the one, and to 

 augment the holdings of the others. In Westphalia we 

 have noticed the extent of ground occupied by farming 

 otfices, which abstract considerably from the cultivated 

 land, and entail great expense by outlay for repairs. 



In the villages the houses are usually built of wooden 

 frames, whose beams and standards are mortised into 

 each other and bound and supported by sloping stays, the 

 mortises being fastened by pegs throughout. Where 

 that timber abounds the wood most in use is oak. Near 

 the Rhine fir and pine wood are used. The wood is 

 usually seven inches square, which conveniently holds 

 a layer of bricks laid breadthwise in each compartment. 

 The bricks are not always burnt, and the compartments 

 are sometimes filled up with strong wicker-work which is 

 plastered over. When the house is coated with lime or 

 clay and whitewashed, the wooden frame is left con- 

 6]jicuous all over, and is often painted in fanciful colours. 



