182 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[Mat, 
A Cottage for the Country Costing $1,800. 
BY 8 . B. REED, ARCHITECT. 
These designs are for a roomy and home-like 
country dwelling with ample accommodations for a 
family of average size, and containing some of the 
most essential of modern improvements_ Ex¬ 
terior (fig. 1).—The ground measurements are 
36 by 41 feet—giving a desirable breadth of base 
each way. The outlines are irregular, and broken 
Fig. 1.— Front elevation of cottage. 
with sharp, well defined angles, which impart an 
appropriate rustic appearance, that will be pictur¬ 
esque on a level, monotonous prairie, while it 
would harmonize with rugged surroundings. There 
are two pleasant verandas—one in front, and one in 
the rear of the Living-room. In some localities it 
would be desirable to extend the front and rear 
windows of the living-room to the floor, making 
both verandas directly accessible.... Cellin’ (fig. 
2 ).—Hight 64 feet, and of the same size as the main 
house, giving abundant room for ordinary purposes. 
If desired, a solid partition may be made in line 
with the girder (shown by dotted lines), thoroughly 
dividing the space at little cost;—and giving a 
Fig. 2.—PLAN OF THE CELLAR. 
“ warm cellar ” on one side, and “ cold ” one on the 
other. There are six small windows, admitting 
light from three directions, an outside entrance at 
the rear is inclosed with hatchway doors. Should 
more cellar space be required, it may be extended 
under the kitchen while building, at an additional 
cost of twenty dollars_ First Story (fig. 3). 
—Hight of ceilings .91 feet. The front entrance 
leads from the veranda to the main hall, which is 
centrally located, and communicates directly with 
the four principal rooms on this floor, and contains 
the main stairs to the second story. Each of the 
rooms is conveniently situated, and has the 
necessary windows to admit plenty of light and 
air. The dining-room and kitchen have each out¬ 
looks in three directions, and are arranged to com¬ 
municate with each other through the pantry, which 
is thoroughly shelved, and 
==»-. . has a narrow window. A 
door opens from this 
pantry directly to the cel¬ 
lar stairs, which are under 
the main stairs. Many 
prefer such connection 
between the pantry and 
cellar for convenience. A 
large proportion of the 
stores required for the 
table, come directly from 
the shelves and safes in 
the cellar, and by this 
plan many steps are saved. 
The kitchen is convenient¬ 
ly arranged. An outside 
door opens from the rear 
veranda. A good sized 
pantry, C, an open fire 
place, a pump, sink, and 
a closet under the sink, 
are. provided. The fire¬ 
place is suited to the use 
of a range with water- 
backs, placing the boiler at 
the side of the chimney 
if desired. Second 
Story (fig. 4).—Hight in 
the main house 5 feet at 
the plates, and following 
the rafter to the full hight 
of 8 feet; hight in the wing 2 feet at the plates—to 
61 feet in the center. The roofs are unusually steep, 
so that a person of ordinary hight will be able to 
stand erect within six inches of the sides of the 
principal rooms at their lowest point, making them 
as useable for chambers, as if with full hight or 
level ceilings. Each of the principal chambers 
have closets adjoining the chimneys. One chamber 
suitable for a servant’s room, a bath room, and a 
store room, are placed over the kitchen. The bath 
room is furnished with a seat closet and bath tub. 
An opening with register is placed in the floor at 
E, admitting warm air from the kitchen ceiling.... 
Const ruction. —The foundations are of brick, 
where stones are not plentiful and cheaper. The 
walls show 2 feet above the earth grades. The 
Chimneys are also of brick, having continuous flqes 
from each fire-place-and the cellar, and have tops 
laid in cement mortar. Timber of sawed spruce; 
siding of pine, “ Novelty ” pattern. Koof of pine 
shingles, on spruce lath. Flooring, outside of nar¬ 
row pine, inside of wide spruce. Plastering three 
coats and hard finished. The Windows have sash 
with four lights in each. If desirable the windows 
facing the verandas may extend to the floor. The 
sash for these should be similar in every respect to 
the others. A panel is fitted under the sash and 
hung to swing like a door. This will be found. a 
very simple and satisfactory method of extending 
windows to the floor. No special, and, therefore, 
expensive sizes are required, but all may be of uni¬ 
form and stock dimensions. When completed they 
match other windows in the same apartment, in 
appearance and in their usual operation, and may 
be readily passed by raising the lower sash and 
swinging back the panel. Five marble shelves with 
stucco trusses, are set in the principal rooms. 
Plumbing is similar to that described in the March 
American Agriculturist , with the addition of bath 
room fixtures. The veranda roofs are shingled. 
All valleys and gutters are of tin. The method 
of constructing these gutters is shown on page 173, 
May, 1875, American Agriculturist. Painting inside 
and out of pure lead and linseed oil.... Esti¬ 
mate. — Cost of materials and labor is given 
with the same figures as that in previous months : 
88 yards Excavation, at 25c. per yard.*2200 
18,000 Bricks, Foundations and Chimneys, at $12 per M. 210 00 
50 feet Blue stone (steps, etc.), at 12c. per foot. 6 OO 
.. ' -- Si .182 50 
. 67 I 
& 
^ _ _,__ _ig. 
Plates4x6in., 112 ft.long. 68 Rafters3x4 in., ISft. l'ng. 
8 Posts 4x7 in., 16 ft. long. 44 Beams Sx8 in., 16 ft. I'ug. 
2Posts4x6 in.,12 ft.long. 18Beams3x8in., 14ft.l’ng. 
Verandas 3x7 in., 60 ft.l’ng. 
100 Joist 3x4 in., 18 ft. long, at 15c. each. 16 OO 
300 Wall Strips, 2x4 in., IS ft. long, at 12c. each. 36 OO 
450 Shingling Lath, l)(x2 in., 13 ieet long, at 6c. each 27 00' 
70 bunches Shingles, 18 in., at $1.25 per punch. 87 50 
260 Siding, 9)4 in., at 28c. each... 73 80 
Cornice materials.....30 OO 
212 Flooring, 9 in., (inside), at 28c. each. 67 76 
48 Flooring, 4)4 in., (outside), at 25c. each. 12 00 
2 Stairs, Principal and Cellar (complete). 40 00 
6 Cellar Windows (complete), at $3 each. 18 00 
19 Plain Windows (complete), at $7 each.133 00 
5 Dormer Windows (complete), at $10 eacli. 50 OO 
22 Doors (complete), at $6 eacli.132 00 
5 Verandas, finish (complete). 40 00 
5 Marble Shelves (complete). 25 00 
7 Closets, finish (complete). 15 00 
4 Kegs Nails, $20; Plumbing (complete) $120.140 OO 
Carting, $20; Painting, $125.(10. .145 *0 
Carpenter's Labor (not included above).175 00 
Incidentals. 44 94 
Total cost. 
.$ 1,800 00 
Exhaustion of the Soli. —A Subscriber in 
Indiana w rites : “ A great many farmers iu this 
section, believe that wheat will never exhaust the 
soil. They claim that they have kept wheat on the 
same ground for a series of consecutive years, with 
good results, etc.” The mineral portions of the 
plant—the potash, phosphoric acid, magnesia, lime, 
iron, etc.,—must come from the soil, and are taken 
up in a state of solution by the roots of the plants. 
These substances are deposited in the plant, and if 
they are removed from the soil in the form of grain, 
straw, or any other crop, the soil loses just so 
much of these essential ingredients of plant growth. 
If there is a continual outgo, and no income in the 
form of manure, or other fertilizer, it is only a mat¬ 
ter of time for the richest soil to become poor in 
plant food, and it will fail to produce remunerative 
crops, and the soil is then said to be exhausted, or 
“ run down.” There is no reason why the wheat 
plant should not tend to exhaust any kind of soil. 
