FARMS 
The main line of the house drainage 
system begins at the sewer, flush tank, 
or septic tank, as the case may be, passes 
through the house by such a course as 
may be indicated by a judicious compro- 
mise between directness and convenience, 
past the location of the highest fixture 
that is to discharge into it, and then out 
through the roof for free ventilation. If 
possible, have the fixtures which are lo- 
cated on different floors in a direct line 
one above the other to avoid any consid- 
erable horizontal run. If bathrooms or 
water-closets are required in different 
parts of the house let each have its own 
vertical line of soil pipe. AIll plumbing 
fixtures on bedroom floors should be con- 
fined to bathrooms, and under no circum- 
stances should there be a wash basin or 
any other opening into any channel which 
is connected with the drainage system in 
a sleeping room or in a closet opening in- 
to a sleeping room. Each bathroom 
should have exterior location and at least 
one window for light and ventilation, 
but pipes should not be placed against 
outer walls unless adequately protected 
against frost. Never have plumbing out 
of sight; let each pipe be in full view, 
and each closet, bath, or basin be unhid- 
den by any sort of inclosing woodwork. 
There is quite as much danger from the 
dirt which is apt to gather around con- 
cealed pipes and beneath inclosed sinks, 
bowls, or closets as there is from the ad- 
mission of sewer gas. The simplest way 
to prevent the accumulation of dirt is to 
make it easier to be clean than to be 
dirty. Therefore keep the plumbing fix- 
tures where there is plenty of light. 
Improvements for the Kitchen 
The kitchen is a most important part 
of the house. On it depends the physical 
life, and to a large degree the spiritual 
life, of the family. Realizing its impor- 
tance, sufficient time and thought should 
be given to it to secure the best results 
possible from the material at hand. 
Ventilation, Walls and Floors 
Perfect ventilation is the first require- 
ment of a kitchen, light comes next, and 
in turn the possibilities of perfect clean- 
liness. The walls should be painted so 
947 
that they may be wiped off with a damp 
cloth, making cleanliness possible with- 
out great demand on strength, and with- 
out the disarrangement caused by white- 
washing and kalsomining. In these days 
of enameled paint the walls and shelves 
of all kitchen closets should be painted. 
Painted shelves can be wiped off with a 
damp cloth every day if need be. Paper 
in kitchen closets is always a bid for dust 
and vermin. 
Hard wood makes the best kitchen 
fioors. Linoleum or oilcloth are labor 
saving and, if cut to exactly fit the floor 
and all joints cemented, are perfectly san- 
itary. Intelligence does not countenance 
a carpet on the kitchen floor. 
The Range 
Whatever fuel is used, let the range 
be one of the best in the market. This 
is true economy. Near the range and 
under the same ventilating hood should 
stand the oil or gasolin2 stove. There 
is an infinite variety of these stoves, all 
economical, cleanly, and safe if managed 
with care. 
A. hood suspended over the kitchen 
range and connected to a flue in the 
chimney will gather all the steam and 
odors and carry them away. 
Laundry Arrangements 
When the kitchen is also used as the 
family laundry, stationary tubs of enamel- 
ed iron or of soapstone should adjoin the 
sink. They should be covered to form a 
table when not in use, but as confined air 
near plumbing becomes dangerous the 
covers should close upon rubber knobs 
or wooden blocks, so as to leave an air 
space for ventilation. Nickel plated 
union strips and hardwood wringer hold- 
ers should be added between the tubs and 
at the right hand end so that a wringer 
may be used. One of the needs of the or- 
dinary farmhouse is a suitable place for 
the workmen to wash as they come from 
the fields. When a separate room is fitted 
up as a laundry, provision should be 
made here for the men by adding a large 
sink and bench. 
The Kitchen Sink 
The kitchen sink should be of cast iron, 
plain, galvanized or enameled, broad, and 
