12 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[January, 
raising—or in seed raising. To do what is done in 
the best way that can be afforded, and to send 
to market the very best class of goods that can 
be produced, seems to me the means by which 
good and prudent farming is to be made profitable. 
1 have a theory that if I had begun with a good 
farm (costing much more at the start) I should 
have shown a better result—but there is no use now ! 
in thinking of “ what might have been.” The ease j 
with which I could get money, and the confidence 
1 reposed in “strict business principles,” would 
probably have swamped me in the Garden of Eden. 
Country House, Costing $750 to $1,050. 
BT C. B. REED, ARCHITECT, CORONA, LONG ISLAND, N. T. 
These plans represent a commodious dwelling 
house, constructed with especial iegard for econo¬ 
my and utility, and they will be appreciated by 
those desiring to provide a comfortable, permanent 
shelter for home by the use of limited means.... 
Elevation, (fig. 1.)—In preparing plans for 
“ low-priced ” houses, the simplest outlines are in¬ 
dicated. Having to combine usefulness and small 
outlay, there con be no latitude for architectural 
display, beyond mere matters of accommodation 
and completeness. The Exterior of this example 
fairly expresses its domestic purpose. The breadth 
Fig. 2.— PLAN OP CELLAR. 
of the front, the preponderance of horizontal lines, 
and the hooded roof, are each indicative of strength, 
and suggest its adaptation to rural situations. The 
satisfactory appearance of this house will greatly 
depend on its location. The best results would be 
obtained by placing it on a slight knoll, giving It 
additional apparent nHUijde This would preyont j 
its being obscured by shrubbery and trees, which 
are indispensable accompaniments of a properly 
developed homestead_ Cellar, (fig. 2.)—Hight 
6i feet. It has three windows, an outside entrance, 
and stairway leading to the kitchen above_ First 
Story, (fig. 3.)—Hight of ceiling 10 feet. The 
accommodations, consisting of five rooms, a pan¬ 
try, and two closets, are adapted to a good 6ized 
family. The Parlor 
and Kitchen are the 
principal rooms, and 
occupy the middle 
portion, their sides 
being protected by 
other rooms,and, hav¬ 
ing the fire-place be¬ 
tween them, they are 
easily warmed. The 
device for heating 
described last month , 
would serve admir¬ 
ably in this house. 
Two Bed-rooms ad¬ 
join the parlor. Many 
might choose to have 
double doors enter 
ing the bed-rooms, 
to allow all three 
to be used togeth¬ 
er occasionally. This 
would not preclude 
the use of the smaller 
ones as bed-rooms, 
or, if preferred, as 
a sewing-room and a 
library. The Kitchen 
is the largest room, 
with doors leading 
to the pantry, bed¬ 
room, parlor, stair-way, and the rear entrance. The 
outside or cntrauee doors may be protected in se¬ 
vere seasons by storm-doors hung to open out¬ 
ward, with loose joint butts to allow of their ready 
removal. The rear veranda is similar to the front 
one shown on the elevation_ Second Story, 
(fig. 4.)—The front portion only is finished, with 
ceilings 8 feet high, and is divided into two cham¬ 
bers and four closets. The rear portion is left un¬ 
finished to be used as au open garret. The space 
above the ceiling of the finished portion may be 
floored over with boards, to serve for storage of 
quilting-frame, trunks, etc_ Construction. 
—The excavations for the cellar are 4 feet deep. 
The foundation walls are of broken stone, laid in 
mortar, and show 2 feet above the earth grade. A 
strong girder resting on large posts, or columns of 
stone or brick, supports the center of the building. 
In setting the girder, it should be elevated from i 
to J of an inch in the center, rising gradually from 
each end, to allow for settling, which invariably 
occurs from shrinkage of the interior frame work, 
The timber for the frame work is indicated in the 
estimates below, and is substantially framed to¬ 
gether. All the outside studding is halved over 
the principal timbers, to prevent vertical shrinkage 
from affecting the exterior covering of the side 
walls. The exterior covering is of lath and plaster, 
as follows : all cornices and other dressings, and 
the roof should first be completed—and all window 
and door frames set and cased. The outside frame 
should then he thoroughly lathed outside and in¬ 
side. All this is to prevent jarring or pounding on 
these parts during the application, or setting of the 
plaster. The plaster is made in the usual manner 
of fresh burned lime and sharp sand—with half a 
bushel of hair to each barrel of lime used, and al¬ 
lowed to lay two weeks to insure a thorough slak¬ 
ing and permeation of the lime. It is then applied 
in two coats—the first a “scratch,” the second a 
“browning.” The surface is floated with a “dar¬ 
by,” (not trowelled.) After having stood a suffi¬ 
cient time to become dry, the whole is covered with 
a preparation called “ Stereate of Lime,” using an 
ordinary whitewash brush. The formula for mak¬ 
ing this stereate of lime, (known only to a few who 
have treated it as a secret), is here published for the 
first tittle, ahd will be understood by thflge familiar I 
with the operptlnn, and of slaking lirae 1 The in* j 
gredients are simply fresh burned finishing lime, 
using the lumps only, and unrendered beef suet. 
It is necessary that these parts be kept in lively 
motion while dissolving, or they will be entirely 
Eig. 3.— PLAN OF FIRST FLOOR. 
destroyed by “burning.” The usual process is to 
sink a large barrel, having an open end, two feet in 
the ground, pounding the earth around to make it 
firm. An upright piece, 4 inches in diameter, and 
6 feet long, is set upright in the centre of the bar¬ 
rel, and held in position by cleats at the bottom and 
top, leaving the upright free to turn. Arms are 
put through the upright within the barrel, and a 
cross-bar or lever is attached to the upper end—the 
whole making an apparatus similar to a “clay- 
mill.” One bushel of lime, 20 pounds of suet, 
(chopped fine), and a barrel of boiling water are 
provided—and while one works the “mill,” another 
feeds alternately lime, suet, and hot water. This 
quantity of material, costing about $2, will make a 
full barrel of the preparation. Any desired shade 
may be afterwards given by adding Stainers. This 
mixture is applied while hot—two coats being nec¬ 
essary to insure a thorough covering. This will also 
be found a valuable preparation for covering exte¬ 
rior brick or concrete work. It is impervious to 
water, and will outlast any of the paints prepared 
for such purpose. All other information concern- 
Fig. 4.—PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR. 
ing the finish of this house may be inferred upon a 
careful study of the following estimates : 
E^tiinnlc, cost of materials and labor: 
95 yards excavation, at 20 cents per yard.$ 19.00 
1062 feet stone foundation, at 15 cents per foot. 159.30 
24 feet stone steps and coping, at 23 cents per foot... 6.72 
2000brichs in chimnevs, laid, at $12 per M. 21.00 
517 yards plastering, inside,at 25 cents per yard... 129.25 
130 do. do. outside, at 30 cents per yard_ 39.10 
1850 feet of timber, at $15 per M... 27.15 
2 sills, 3xS in. 34 feet long. I 2 plates, 4x6 in. 25 feet long. 
2 sills. 3x8 in. 25 feet long. I 2 perlines, 3x8 in. 25 feet long. 
1 girder, 4x8 in.32 ft long. I 2 perilnes, 4x6 in. 18 feet long. 
4 posts, 4x7 in. 11 feet long. 100 beams, 1^x8 in. 13 ft. l’g. 
3 ties. 3x6 in. 34 feet long. | 
300 wall strips, at. 13c. each. . 3900 
4 locust posts, at 30c. each. 1-20 
190 flooring, at 20c. each. 38,00 
216 shingling lath, at 6c. each. 12.96 
39 bunches shingles, at $1.40 per bunch. 51.60 
3 cellar windows, at $3, $9; 12 plain do. at $7, $S4.. 93.00 
17 doors, at $4 ea., $68; 2 verandas. $50 ea., $100. 168.00 
Stairs. $20; cornice materials. $18. 38.00 
Closet finish & base, $15; Nails. $12; Cartage, $20 17.00 
Painting, $10; Carpenter's labor. $100 . 140.00 
Incidentals . 13.22 
Total cost, complete . $1,050.00 
Omitting Cellar and Verandas would save;. 300."0 
Tdtstl) sher dadttottlSBS; ..........1 > . > 111 . $l60ioS 
Fig. I.— ELEVATION OF FRONT OF ROUSE. 
