98 
A.MEEIOAX AGEIOULTUEIST. 
[March,, 
A Country Cottage, Costing $600. 
BY S. B. REED, ARCHITECT. 
These plans are for a low-priced, five- 
room dwelling. Square outlines in build¬ 
ing are most economical for inclosing a 
given amount of space. This form saves 
\ ■ P 
Fig. 1. —FRONT VIEW OF THE HOUSE. 
cost of 
construction 
f r 
both in the first 
and in the annual expenses tor repairs. 
Such bouses are warmed easily, especially if 
the chimney is near the center, and the heat 
is retained longer. The plans here described 
secure the above advantages. Each side 
measures 20 feet, and the hight averages 
the same. Though complete and thoroughly 
fitted for a small family, its accommodations 
may be increased in future by additions at 
sides or rear, or a part of the cellar may be 
finished as a kitchen Exterior.—Fig¬ 
ures 1 and 2, give the elevations of the front 
and left-hand side. The front has consider¬ 
able variety in the details of finish ; and sim¬ 
ilar finish is intended for the rear. The sides 
are quite plain, with projections in harmony 
with the other parts. The roofs are enlivened 
by belts of diamond pointed shingles. As a 
rule a proportionate amount of tracing 
has two windows, and an outside area way. 
An opening is made in the chimney to admit 
a stove pipe. In many cases it would be de¬ 
sirable to divide this cellar by a partition along 
the line of the girder, making a kitchen of the 
larger portion, and a cellar of the balance. 
Those having such intentions, however, 
should build the foundations to 
show at least 3 feet above ground, 
with less depth of excavations. 
.... S'’irst Story. —Figure 4. 
Hight of ceiling, 9 feet. The 
front entrance is from the porch 
directly to the living room. If 
in an exposed situation, “storm 
doors” may be hung in the 
frame of the outside doors to 
open outward; or the Porch 
may be inclosed with portable 
panels of narrow ceiling with a 
door at the entrance, which may 
be set up, or removed, as re¬ 
quired. The rear entrance is 
through two doors and a lobby. 
If a rear window is wanted, the 
upper portions of these doors 
may have glass sash. The living- 
room is commodious, has an 
open fire-place, two windows, 
and inside doors leading to the 
adjoining rooms, and to the stairway to the 
second story. The Sitting-room is small, but, 
if neatly finished, will serve as the parlor of 
Fig. 4.— FIRST STORY. 
Fig. 2.—SIDE VIEW OF THE HOUSE. 
and ornament is much more effective and 
becoming on a Cottage than on a Mansion. 
Good taste, however, would limit its use in 
any case, to the point of rendering some real 
service of support, or protection.Jsiv. 
—Figure 3, hight 6>/ 2 feet, with foundations 
showing 2 feet above ground. It is full sized, 
Fig. 3.—PLAN OF CELLAR. 
a small family, where a few friends may be 
pleasantly entertained. It has one window 
•.r.-._ opening to the front, and a shelf. 
Another window may be easily 
added opposite the chimney, 
SB though it would diminish the 
wall space for furniture, etc. 
The Bedroom is also small, but 
will admit the necessary furni¬ 
ture, and a proper adjustment of 
the window sashes will insure 
| | the required ventilation. The 
space under the stairs is used 
as a closet, unless needed for 
stairs to a basement kitchen. 
.... Second Story. — Figure 
5. Hight at the plates, 3‘/ 2 feet, 
and following the rafters to the 
full hight of 8 feet. There are 
but two rooms in this story. 
Other divisions may be made as 
required. CoasirtruBetleii. — 
The materials and general 
methods of construction of the 
house are similar to those which were given 
in the last number of the American Agricul¬ 
turist. .... Below are given E.-sf.assnrtes: 
45 yards Excavation, at 25c. per yard....$ 11.25 
780 feet Stone Work at 8c. per foot... 62.40 
1,500 Brick in chimneys at $12 per M. 18.00 
260 yards Plastering at 20c. per yard. 52.00 
1,600 feet Timber, at $15 per M. . 24.00 
4 Sills 4x7 in. 20 ft. long. I 1 Girt 4x6 in. 20 ft. long. 
4 Posts 4x7 in. IS ft. long. 118 Beams 3x7 in. 20 ft. loDg. 
4 Ties 4x6 in. 20 ft. long.. I 1 Beam 3x7 in. 28 ft. tong. 
2 Plates 4xb in. 20 ft, long. | 22 Rafters 3x4 in. 16 ft.lone, 
20 Joists, at 15c. each. 3 no 
200 Wall Strips, at 12c. $24 r 108 Sidingi at 28c.'$2tL52 00 
Cornice Materials.. 12 00 
130 Shingling Lath, at 6 c. each. ~ 7 80 
22 Bunches Shingles, at $i.25 each. . 27 50 
85 Flooring at 28c. eacli. . 23 so 
8 Plain Windows, at $6 each..... 4 s m 
2 Cellar Windows^ at $2 each. . 400 
8 Doors, at $6 each. 4 s vn 
2 Stairs, $15; 2 Stoops, $18.33 00 
Closet finish and Shelving, $12 ; Nails, $9. 21 00 
Carting....!.’. . 8 00 
( arpenters’ labor, not included above. 75 00 
Painting, $50; Incidentals, $19.25 . 69 25 
Total cost of the building,completed. ». _ $600 00 
Poultry Notes: Eggs in Winter, Animal 
Food, etc. 
-- 
I was much pleased with your invitation 
in the February number, for persons to send 
communications to' your Journal. It em¬ 
boldened me to send the following notes : 
I fully agree with “ Connecticut ” in the 
February number, in regard to the necessity 
of supplying fowls 
with animal food in 
winter. I have de¬ 
monstrated the fact 
to my satisfaction 
that poultry can be 
made as profitable in 
winter as in sum¬ 
mer. I have about 
one hundred and 
fifty hens, and am 
now receiving on an 
average of forty eggs 
per day, and the 
thermometer below zero. Eggs are bring¬ 
ing 48 cents per dozen, and the expenses 
about eight dollars per month. My hen¬ 
nery is built cheaply, has a glass front, 
fronting south, in which I have placed a 
small stove, and keep fire night and day. I 
keep constantly before them, in self-feeding- 
boxes, corn, wheat, and oats, from which to 
choose ; they eat much the most of wheat. 
It might not do to keep food before some 
breeds, or old fowls, but it does for White 
Leghorns. I find it impracticable to fur nis h 
so large a number with green vegetables, but 
give them clover hay, which seems to answer 
the purpose, and of which they are very fond. 
About six miles from my farm is a slaughter 
house, where I get hog’s lungs, by the barrel, 
and tie a string tightly around the middle 
and hang them on nails, where they can 
easily reach them. The fowls can readily eat 
the lungs when they are fastened, but if 
thrown down they cannot. I have been told 
that the lungs of animals contain a large 
amoimt of albumen ; I do not know it to be 
a fact, but I do know they make the hens 
lay, and they are more eager for it than any 
other food, in fact seem nearly “crazy” for 
it. The house is divided into five apart¬ 
ments—one small one for about twenty com¬ 
mon hens for setting; another for the same 
number for breeding ; then all I have to do 
to avoid breeding-in-and-in is to exchange or 
buy two roosters. The other three apart¬ 
ments are larger, and are for the main flock. 
I intend another year to keep about sixty in 
each. They have a run of a half acre, which 
is entirely too small, and I intend, in the 
spring, to add another acre for their pasture. 
The division fences are made with shingling-- 
lath for rails, and ceiling-lath for palings, 
then, by clipping one wing, they are easily 
kept in place. The expense of heating is 
small, as I have used only one-quarter ton of 
coal thus far, and it has been an unusual 
severe winter. Jersey. 
