ii4 



Labourers' Cottages. 



[may, 



more adapted to cottages than double-hung sashes. They 

 have, however, disadvantages compared with the latter owing 

 to the difficulties experienced in regulating ventilation with- 

 out draughts, in keeping them water-tight, and in cleaning 

 the outside from within. 



By fixing the windows flush, or nearly so, with the external 

 face of the wall, wide window-boards can be provided, which 

 are generally found very useful, and are greatly appreciated 

 by the labourers' wives. 



A height of 8 ft. or 8 ft. 6 in. to the rooms should be 

 ample, and it should be borne in mind that it is not so much 

 the height of a room which makes it conducive to health as 

 effective ventilation. The door should act as an inlet 

 and the window as an outlet, and for this purpose the 

 {window-opening should extend as nearly as possible to the 

 'ceiling. 



Ledged doors would be in keeping with cottage archi- 

 tecture, but if panelled doors are provided, they should not 

 be less than l J in. in thickness, owing to the liability of thin 

 doors to twist. All fireplaces, windows, and doors should 

 be arranged with a due regard to convenience, so as to provide 

 ventilation with an absence of draught. 



Staircases. — Stairs should be conveniently planned and 

 well lighted. Ample headroom should be provided, a point 

 in construction which is frequently overlooked. It is desir- 

 able to allow 6 ft. 9 in. to 7 ft. measured vertically. The 

 width of stairs should not be less than 2 ft. 8 in. to 3 ft. 

 A feature in planning, also, should be to make the "going" 

 as easy as possible, and to effect this the treads should be 

 9 in. wide, and the rise from step to step 7 in. to 7 \ in., but 

 not exceeding the latter. Winders should be avoided as 

 much as possible. 



Pantry. — A suitable pantry should be provided to each 

 cottage, and so arranged that one, at least, of its w r alls is 

 external, in which a window can be provided for affording 

 light and ventilation. 



Scullery, &c. — A copper, either portable or built in the 

 usual manner, should be provided for washing purposes in 

 the scullery or in an outbuilding. By the use, at a trifling 

 cost, of one or other of the patent steam exhausts, a good 



