12 



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



and a layer of builders' paper laid between the two floors, it is no more expensive 

 than the cement, and chances of success are as great or greater. Dampness can be 

 more easily overcome by using a board floor with air-circulation underneath than 

 by the cement or earth floor. Neither is there the danger of heaving by frost, or 

 cracking, as with the cement floor. 



THE WALLS. 



Walls must be so constructed as to provide warmth, dryness, and strength for 

 the house. They should be free from cracks and crevices to prevent mites and lice 

 from accumulating in numbers, hence being easily cleaned and disinfected. 



Showing a poorly constructed wall. Openings such as are shown in this cut 

 allow too many draughts. 



If a wall is made of single boards tightly fitted and covered with a eood roofing- 

 paper, there will be little need of boarding the back wall inside. There is one 

 exception to this statement, and that is, in a climate which is damp or where the 

 ti'iHi-erature goes below zero for any length of time. 



When laying roofing-paper, always make the laps tight; have them well lapped 

 over and thoroughly cemented together. Rather than use batten, we would suggest 

 the double-boarding or boarding inside the plates and uprights on the north side of 

 the house. 



THE ROOF. 



The roof in a house should be high enough to allow plenty of air-circulation and 

 also ease of working. Single-boarded and tightly covered with good roofing-paper, 

 shakes, or shingles is all that is required for a roof in a successful house. Shingle 

 roofs should be one-third pitch, but roofing-paper will be satisfactory with almost no 

 pitch. 



A shed roof does not require tie-beams, but with the combination pitch it is 

 desirable to use them on account of the weight of the roof, especially when covered 

 with snow. 



