WEST DEVONSHIRE. 63 



clay floors of Norfolk *. The walls are 

 carried up, in courfes of eighteen inches, to 

 two feet high, and fourteen inches to two 

 feet thick ; the preceding courfe being 

 fuitered to ftiffen, before the fucceeding 

 one be fet on. I have feen, in different 

 parts of the Weft of England, cottages 

 two ftories high, with no other fupport for 

 the joifts and timbers, than thefe earthen 

 walls. 



In fituations expofed to Weflerly winds^ 

 the v/alls of dwelling houfes of every 

 material are frequently guarded withjlafes, 

 put on fcale-wife, as upon roofs, to prevent 

 the " fea air" from penetrating the walls, 

 and giving dampnefs to the rooms* In 

 towns, the ihells of houfes are not uncom- 

 monly built of wood ; lathed J plaiflered; 

 and dated, 



Houfes fronted with well coloured jflate, 

 put on neatly, and with ** black mortar" 

 (namely cement, among which pounded 

 forge cinders have been freely mixed), are 

 not unfightly. But fmeared, in ftripes or 



patches, 



* See Norfolk Econ. Vol. II. Page 24. 



