ON SIMPLE RURAL COTTAGES. 249 



chimneys may next be attended to. Let them be less clumsy and 

 heavy, if possible, than usual. 



This would be character enough for the simplest class of cot- 

 tages. We would rather aim to render them striking and expres- 

 sive by a good outline, and a few simple details, than by the imita- 

 tion of the ornaments of a more complete and highly finished style 

 of building. 



In figs. 1 and 2, we have endeavored to give two views of a 

 workingman's cottage, of humble means.* 



Whatever may be thought of the effect of these designs, (and 

 we assure our readers that they appear much better when built 

 than upon paper,) we think it will not be denied, that they have 

 not the defects to which we have just alluded. The style is as eco- 

 nomical as the cheapest mode of building ; it is expressive of the 

 simple wants of its occupant ; and it is, we conceive, not without 

 some tasteful character. 



Last, though not least, this mode of building cottages is well 

 adapted to our country. The material wood is one which must, 

 yet for some years, be the only one used for small cottages. The 

 projecting eaves partially shelter the building from our hot sun and 

 violent storms ; and the few simple details, which may be said to 

 confer something of an ornamental character, as the rafter brackets 

 and window dressings, are such as obviously grow out of the pri- 

 mary conveniences of the house the necessity of a roof for shelter, 

 and the necessity of windows for light. 



Common narrow siding, (i. e. the thin clap-boarding in general 

 use,) we would not employ for the exterior of this class of cottages 

 nor, indeed, for any simple rural buildings. What we greatly 

 prefer, are good strong and sound boards, from ten to fourteen 

 inches wide, and one to one and a fourth inches thick. These 

 should be tongued and grooved so as to make a close joint, and 

 nailed to the frame of the house in a vertical manner. The joint 

 should be covered on the outside with a narrow strip of inch board, 

 from two to three inches wide. The accompanying cut, fig. 3, a, 



* We do not give the interior plan of these, at present. Our only ob- 

 ject now is to call attention to the exteriors of dwellings of this class. 



