Cottages  for  Rural  Labourers. 
14C 
less  per  cubic  foot  owing  to  the  simplicity  of  their  construction, 
more  particularly  as  regards  the  roof.* 
The  special  feature  of  the  design  is  that  in  addition  to 
two  bedrooms  on  the  upper  floor,  and  the  ordinary  sitting-room 
and  scullery  on  the  ground  floor,  a third  room  is  added  to 
this  floor  for  use  either  as  a sitting-room  or  an  additional 
bedroom  as  occasion  may  require.  There  is  a considerable 
advantage  in  this,  as  where  there  is  not  a large  family  it  can 
be  used  as  a ))arlonr  or  as  a bed-sitting-room  for  a lodger. 
On  the  whole,  if  expense  is  not  a pressing  consideration, 
this  design,  in  my  o])inion,  is  much  more  serviceable  than  the 
others,  as  the  dimensions  of  most  of  the  a])artments  are  larger. 
There  are  some  good  cnpl)oards,  the  copj)ers  are  j)laced  in 
the  ontbnildinws,  and  there  is  a loft  in  the  roof  over  the 
sculleries. 
Conclusions. 
Efforts  are  being  made  to  find  out  whether  cottages  cannot 
be  built  more  cheajily  with  materials  other  than  brick  or  stone. 
Brick  is  contemplated  for  the  erection  of  the  cottages  here 
designed,  except  where  some  stud  and  plaster  work  is  intro- 
duced. It  is  hardly  ])ossible  to  emj)Ioy  any  cheaiier  material, 
unless  it  is  corrugated  iron.  (Vincrete  blocks,  nralite,  and 
wire-wove  material,  ajiiiear  to  be  as  costly  as  bricks  or 
stone,  where  these  are  oldainable  at  a reasonable  price.  A 
great  deal  may  be  said,  however,  in  favour  of  wooden  stud- 
work  (lath  and  plaster  inside  and  out)  where  bricks  are 
dear  or  where  stone  is  exjK-nsive  to  get  and  work.  I have 
introduced  it  for  the  u])})er  storey  of  one  of  the  j)lans  here 
shown,  and  it  is  very  common  in  the  easteni  counties.  For 
many  years  I lived  in  a house  one-half  of  which  was  so  built, 
and  the  other  half  built  of  brick  and  flint,  and  I am  sure  the 
stud  and  jilaster  was  the  drier  and  more  comfortable  ]>art  of 
the  dwelling,  owing  to  the  air  .space  in  the  walls. 
This  space  or  cavity  is  also  an  advantage  when  jirovided 
in  brickwork,  as  it  often  is,  l)y  building  two  4^  in.  walls,  with 
a cavity  of  2 in.  tied  in  with  galvanized  iron  ties  2 ft.  apart 
every  fourth  course  ; but  it  adds  some  1.5/.  to  the  cost  of  a 
pair  of  cottages.  This  extra  cost  could,  however,  be  saved, 
if  the  inside  j)lastering  of  the  walls  was  omitted,  as,  being 
hollow',  a good  face  of  brick  would  be  obtainable  inside  as 
‘ The  Koinaii  tiles  are  not  suitable  for  dorniers  or  where  much  cutting  is 
required,  as  they  necessitate  lead  or  zinc  valleys. 
