Coiichisloii/!. 
J47 
w(41  as  outside  the  walls,  and  whitewashing  or  colouring 
might  be  substituted  for  the  i)lastering. 
Unless  one  is  building  a “ bungalow  ” or  something  of  a 
temporary  nature,  only  brick,  stone,  concrete,  or  stud  and  plaster, 
can  he  recommended  for  the  purpose  of  this  article,  which 
is  to  furnish  economical  designs  for  cottages  of  a permanent 
nature,  and  for  which  rent  charges  for  thirty  to  forty  years 
can,  if  necessary,  he  obtained  to  cover  the  cost  of  erection. 
The  minimum  cost  would  appear  to  he  about  300/.  for  each 
pair  of  cottages,  so  far  as  my  experience  goes  ; but  this 
minimum  would  he  increased  considerably  in  some  places. 
The  “ Cheap  Cottage  Exhibition  ” which  it  is  proposed  to 
hold  next  summer  at  Hitchin  will,  in  this  connection,  he 
interesting  as  affording  evidence  of  cost,  and  as  giving  other 
particulars  with  regard  to  materials  and  workmanship.  It  will 
also,  I am  sure,  dispel  a good  many  illusions,  because  a great 
deal  that  has  been  written  of  late  is,  to  say  the  least,  not  the 
outcome  of  practical  experience  on  the  subject. 
No  reference  has  been  made  in  this  article  to  the  many 
structural  details  connected  with  cottage  building  from  a fear 
of  occupying  too  much  sj)ace.  I have  pnd'erred  to  direct  the 
attention  of  owners  to  the  importance  of  a full  consideration 
of  certain  j)oints  before  determining  to  build ; to  give  some 
]>articulars  of  the  facilities  for  obtaining  money  by  means  of 
the  Land  Improvement  Acts,  which  are  now  more  favourable 
owing  to  the  extension  of  time  for  repayment  of  loans  on 
substantial  buildings  ; and  to  direct  attention  to  the  desirability 
of  a renewal  of  state  loans,  to  the  advantages  of  the  provisions 
of  the  Settled  Lands  Acts  for  the  use  of  trust  money  for  the 
erection  of  buildings,  and  to  the  questions  of  the  Building 
Bye-laws  of  Bural  District  Councils,  and  of  local  rates  as 
affecting  the  building  of  cottages. 
Finally,  1 will  emphasise  what  I have  already  stated, 
that  the  provision  of  better  dwellings  will,  at  the  best,  be 
only  a partial  remedy  for  rural  depopulation.  Another  help, 
and  in  my  opinion  a very  material  one,  will  be  to  provide 
large  gardens  attached  to  the  cottages,  and  in  suitable  places 
a small  grass  orchard  to  serve  also  as  a pig-run.  These  involve 
only  a small  outlay,  and  are  aids  to  a labouring  man’s  income. 
They  afford  him  interest,  pleasure,  and  some  instruction,  and 
undoubtedly  assist  to  make  him  and  his  family  more  contented 
with  country  life. 
AV)berley,  Stourport. 
A.  Dudley  Clarke. 
