1012 Modern Cottage of Chalk and Cement. [Feb., 



water in the mixture would freeze, but wet weather is not harm- 

 ful. The work is not heavy, and might suitably be performed 

 by partly disabled ex-service men in districts where chalk 

 is available. Such jobs could very easily be put out by 

 piece work. 



Note. — Mr. Wilkes' statement of comparative costs for blocks 

 in the years 1904, 1907 and 1919 is very useful; but it should 

 be noted that his proportions in the last year were 5 of chalk to 

 1 of cement, whereas for the chalk concrete block cottage at the 

 Ministry's Farm Settlement at Amesbury the proportions were 

 12 of chalk to 1 of cement, or less than half the quantity of 

 cement. The Amesbury Cottage, of which an illustration in 

 course of construction was' given in our September issue, and 

 which is here shown completed (Fig. 6), has proved most satis- 

 factory. Prices of both labour and cement have, however, risen 

 since 1919. Mr. Wilkes used, roughly, 3/5 of a ton of cement 

 in the proportion of 5 of chalk to 1 of cement to produce 100 

 blocks equivalent in size to 800 bricks. In the proportion of 12 

 to 1, as at Amesbury, 240 blocks would be produced with the 

 same quantity of cement, equivalent to 1,920 bricks. Taking 

 the present price of cement at 107s. 6d. per ton and the labour 

 at 25s. per 100 bricks, the cement used would cost <£3 4s. 6d., 

 plus labour £3, to make 240 blocks. This works out approxi- 

 mately at an equivalent in bricks of d£3 5s. Od. per 1,000 as 

 against a present average price for bricks of £5 per 1,000. 



The other method of using chalk, adopted by the Department 

 of Scientific and Industrial Research for one of their cottages at 

 Amesbury, consisted of a mixture of chalk and cement in the 

 proportion of 20 parts of chalk to 1 of cement. The mixture was 

 lightly rammed between shutters, and has made excellent 

 walling. 



