io8 



Labourers' Cottages. 



[may, 



room may be let to a lodger in order to augment the income 

 of the family. Fig. 2, however, shows a cottage without a 

 parlour, but with a larger living room. 



With regard to bedroom accommodation, it should be the 

 general rule to make provision for three bedrooms to 

 labourers' cottages. Instances occasionally occur in which 

 two bedrooms may be deemed sufficient. No bedroom should 

 contain a floor area of less than 60 superficial feet, and the 

 windows should be designed equal in area to not less than one- 

 tenth of the floor space. 



The Site. — As regards the best and healthiest soils upon 

 which to live, gravel, compact sand, rock, or dry chalk stand 

 first, but choice in this respect is limited by circumstances, 

 and whatever site is ultimately decided upon, it should be 

 ascertained that it is well drained ; if not, it should be 

 effectually drained by means of suitable earthenware field 

 pipes. Again, where there is a free choice of aspect, it is 

 generally considered that a south-easterly one is best, so that 

 some protection may be afforded from the bitter north- 

 easterly winds and the driving south-westerly rains. 



Water-supply. — The questions of water-supply and the 

 disposal of drainage are important preliminaries connected 

 with modern building, and full consideration should be given 

 to them in determining the site. The Public Health (Water) 

 Act, 1878, requires that every rural sanitary authority 

 (regard being had to the provisions contained in this Act) 

 shall see that every occupied dwelling-house within their 

 district has within a reasonable distance an available supply 

 of wholesome water, sufficient for the consumption and use 

 for domestic purposes of the inmates of the house. 



Of course, in the majority of outlying agricultural dis- 

 tricts the idea of obtaining water from the mains of district 

 councils, &c, is out of the question, and unless the water- 

 pipes can be extended from the farmstead or other dwellings 

 near at hand which may happen to be already provided with 

 a supply of good drinking water from springs or other 

 sources, recourse must be had to wells, of which there are two 

 kinds, viz., deep and shallow. Of these, deep wells are to 

 be preferred, and in sinking them the surface water should 

 be excluded by 10 or 12 ft. of substantial brickwork, sur- 



