44 THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



Warm Houses. 



There is little danger of getting old houses too warm 

 if scratching-sheds are provided. There will always 

 be more or less cracks and holes through which cold 

 air will come. Old houses can be made warm by the 

 use of building paper and banking about the foun- 

 dation with old hay or straw. Tarred paper is largely 

 used, as it is antiseptic and a partial insecticide, 

 though not as warm as untarred or felt paper. The 

 lining-boards between the rafters should be covered 

 as well as the sides of the building, for no matter 

 how warm the sides are made, the houses will be cold and 

 damp from the cold air dropping down from this ex- 

 posed surface. If there is no floor in the house, the 

 ground outside for three or four feet should be covered 

 with enough hay, straw or leaves to prevent its freez- 

 ing, for without this covering the frost might work into, 

 the soil inside, no matter how warm the sides and roof 

 are made. 



Barn, Stable, and Carriage- House. 



What has been said of the foundation, sills, roof, etc., 

 of other buildings applies equally well to these struc- 

 tures. Whenever possible changes should be made to 

 improve the conveniences for caring for stock and com- 

 fort of the same, storing fodder, and the disposal of the 

 manure, etc. The latter should be disposed of in such a 

 manner that the gases shall not rise into the stable or 

 carriage-room. If it is dropped into the cellar below an 

 abundance of absorbent material must be used, and 

 windows made through the under-pinning on three or 

 four sides. The best disposition that can be made of 

 this material is to either put it on the land as made or 

 dump it into a covered watertight pit, with all waste 



