138 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[April, 
A Farm House Costing $1,500. 
BY 9 . B. REED, ARCHITECT. 
These designs are for a substantial country dwell¬ 
ing, arranged to meet the requirements of farmers 
in moderate circumstances, and give as much ac¬ 
commodation aud convenience as can well be done 
for the sum named. [This design, which was made 
to meet certain requirements, has many excellent 
features, but were we to build such a house we 
should, instead of the limited porch, run a broad 
veranda or piazza across the whole front. Were 
thi6 done, the space now occupied by the porch 
could be thrown into the Hall or Entry, which, in a 
country house, is often one of its most useful 
rooms. This of course would add a little to the 
expense, but would be money well invested.— 
Eds.] .Exterior (fig. 1). — The extreme 
ground measurements are 30 by 40 feet, giving 
a breadth becoming its relation as a farm house, 
with the surrounding grounds. The Foundations 
show 2 feet above the earth grades. Unless the 
site is already very high, the earth taken from the 
excavations should be used in raising the surface 
of the grounds at least one foot immediately sur¬ 
rounding the foundations, so as to turn away all 
water, and also to give increased hight and better 
appearanoe to the whole building. The simple 
methods shown in the treatment of the porches, 
windows, cornices, gables, roofs, and chimneys, 
give the whole a rustic appearance quite in accord 
with its domestic intent..,, Cellar (fig. 2).— 
Hight, 6i feet; dimensions same as first story, giv¬ 
ing abundant cellar room, which may be divided 
into separate apartments for vegetables and other 
uses. If there is a porous or sandy bottom, and 
proper ventilation, it will be sufficiently cool and 
dry for keeping fruit with good success. Six 
small windows built in the walls, afford light and 
ventilation to all parts. An opening in one of the 
flues of each chimney will 
carry off unwholesome va¬ 
pors when the windows are 
closed in winter. There is 
an outside entrance under 
the rear porch, and an inside 
stairway leading to the rear 
entry on the first floor, with 
a door at the top. This 
location of cellar stairs pre¬ 
vents cellar odors and dust 
from coming by them direct¬ 
ly into the body of the 
house_ First Story 
(fig. 3).—Hight of ceilings, 
10 feet. The front entrance 
is from a porch through 
double doors, to a hall 
which communicates with 
the parlor and kitchen, and 
contains the main stairs. 
The Parlor is square floor¬ 
ed, with windows in two 
sides, and a marble shelf. 
The Kitchen is the largest 
apartment, and intended 
as the family living-room. 
It is convenient to a pantry, 
closet, and rear entrance. The Pantry is thorough¬ 
ly shelved, and has a small window. The Closet is 
formed in the space under the front stairs, and is 
shelved. The Rear Entrance is from a covered 
porch to the Entry, the latter is sufficiently large to 
contain the wash-tubs, and relieve the kitchen of 
much of the heavy work. The Bed-room is con¬ 
veniently arranged, and may be entered from the 
parlor or kitchen. It has two windows, a closet, 
and a marble shelf_ Second Story (fig. 4).— 
Hight in main house, 6 feet at the plates, following 
the rafters to the full hight of 8 feet. The divisions 
embrace a hall, four sleeping-rooms, four closets, 
and a store-room and garret'. The Chambers are 
commodious, have windows in two sides of each, 
and adjoin chimneys, giving opportunity for stoves 
when required. The Flues of the kitchen chimney 
are divided in the second story, admitting a win¬ 
dow between, and are brought together over an 
arch above the window. A Tank shown in a closet 
fills half of its hight; the balance of the space may 
be used as a closet. The Store-room might be used 
as a bed-room if required, and receive light from 
the rear window through a sash door — Con¬ 
struction. —The excavations are made 34 feet 
deep. The foundations and chimneys are of hard 
bricks and good mortar (or stone may be used 
where cheaper). Frame of sawed timber, as indi¬ 
cated in the estimate below. Siding of wide 
“Novelty” pattern. Principal cornices of dressed 
pine, projecting 18 inches, and having in the gables 
verge boards of open panel-work. Roofs are set at 
an angle of 45°, and covered with pine shingles 
laid on H by 2-inch lath. Floors of tongued and 
grooved spruce, 8 inches wide. Plastering, white 
finish upon two coats of brown mortar. Stairs of 
pine. The principal flight having a newel, rail, and 
ballusters of black-walnut. The principal windows 
have four-light sash hung to balance weights. 
Cellar sash two lights hung with butts to swing 
upwards. Doors are panelled and molded, and 
have hard-wood saddles. The plumbing is similar 
to that described and illustrated in the March 
American Agriculturist. Marble shelves, with ap¬ 
propriate stucco trusses, are set in the parlor and 
each chamber. Painting inside and out, two coats 
of best lead and oil. Estimate. —Cost of 
materials and labor. 
141 yards Excavation, at 25c. per yard.$ SB 00 
14,000 Bricks, Foundations and Chimneys, at $12 per M. 168 00 
24 feet stone steps, at 12c. per foot... 2 88 
600 yards Plastering, at 25c. per yard.150 00 
4,000 feet Timber (a9 follows), at $15 per M. 60 00 
Sills 4x8 in., 144 ft. long. Plates 4x6 in., 90 ft. long. 
9 Posts 4x7 in., 17 ft. long. Girts 4x6 in., 38 ft. long. 
2 Posts 4x6 in., 10 ft.long. 14 Beams8x8 In.,24ft. l’ng. 
Ties 4x6 in., 175 ft.long. 30 Beams8x8 In., 15ft. 1’ng. 
20 Rafters3x4 in., 18 tt. l’ng. 5 Beams3x81n., 15 ft. l’ng. 
26 Ralters3x4in., 13 fi. l’ng. Porcli 3x7 in.,24 ft. l’ng. 
2 Valleys3x8In.. 16ft.l'ng. Ridges2x8in„52ft.l'ng. 
100 Joist, at 15c. each. . 15 00 
250 Wall Strips, at lie. each. . 27 50 
235 Siding, at 28c. each . 65 80 
Cornice materials. SO 00 
800 Shingling Lath, at 6c. each . 18 00 
45 bunches Shingles, at $1.25 per bunch. 56 25 
200 feet Tin (in Valleys, Gutters* Leaders), at 10c. p.ft. 20 00 
200 Flooring (inside), at 2Sc. each.. 56 00 
18 Flooring (outside), at 25c. each. 4 50 
2 Stairs (complete);. 40 00 
2 Porches details (complete). 20 00 
5 Cellar Windows (complete), at $3 each. 15 00 
20 Plain Windows (complete), at $7 each.140 00 
21 Doors (complete), at $6 each.126 00 
5 Marble Shelves, at $4 each. 20 00 
Closet finish (complete). 15 00 
Plumbing, $40; Carting, $20. 60 00 
Carpenter’s Labor not included above.175 00 
Painting, $175.00: Incidentals, $4.07. .. .180 67 
Total cost .$l,50o 00 
Agricultural Art and Science.— Prof. W. 
H. Brewer, Tale College, in his address before the 
Am. Agr’l Association, spoke at some length upon 
the Art of Agriculture in distinction from the 
Science of Agriculture. The Art is old—almost as 
old as the race ; it varies with the locality and the 
traditions of the times. The Art is local and change¬ 
able. On the other hand the Science is new—very 
young—and mostly confined to our own genera¬ 
tion ; it deals with principles that are fixed and 
general. When the art, that is, the practice of 
agriculture, is founded upon, and is the applica¬ 
tion of well founded principles— Science —then we 
may expect successful and progressive farming. 
Fig. 1.— FRONT ELEVATION OF HOUSE. 
