324 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
[Jtjnb, 
A Country House, Costing $1,500. 
BY 6. B. RBED, ABOH1TBCT. 
This design somewhat resembles the one given 
lost month. The main part, is raised to two full 
stories ; the floor dimensions are reduced, and the 
whole is less expensive It is believed to contain 
more than an average amount of accommodation 
for a dwelling of this cost, and to be very conveni¬ 
ently arranged. Exterior (fig. 1). — The 
breadth of the front is 37 feet, and the extreme 
depth, 30 feet. The foundation shows 21 feet above 
ground. The inclosing is of horizontal boarding 
for the first story, and shingles above, with a belt 
course of dentil work between. Of course the 
whole may be covered with the ordinary narrow 
clap-boards, or the “ Novelty ” siding. There are 
two pleasant Verandas, front and rear. The Bay 
Window projecting in front of the main part is 
square-sided, instead of the usual semi-octagonal, 
and has balcony finish above_Eellaif (fig. 2).— 
Sight of ceilings, 61 feet; extends under the whole 
building. Four small windows are arranged to 
furnish light to all parts. The outside entrance is 
from the rear, and a stairway leads to the kitchen. 
. . . .Eireti Story (fig. 3).—Hight of ceiling, 10 
feet The Hall is entered from both front and rear 
verandas, and doors lead to the parlor, sitting- 
room, and kitchen. The principal flight of stairs 
lead from this to the second story. The Parlor is 
square, with a front bay window or alcove, a re bed 
across on the inside. A plain window is placed at 
the center of one side. A mantel, not indicated in 
the cut, is put opposite the hay window. A door 
leads to the rear room, which may be used either 
as a sitting-room or a family bed-room. It has two 
windows, an open flre-plaoe, and a closet. [This 
room may be used as a Dining-room, though this 
would involve much carrying of dishes and food, 
and that too, across the main hall, unless a door be 
provided from the rear veranda to the sitting-room, 
and the veranda enclosed with glass for cold and 
stormy weather. The plan might be modified by 
cutting another room, for a library or bed-room, 
from the front of the kitchen, and let the kitchen 
occupy a portion of the 
rear part now provided, 
and also the rear veranda, 
and part of the rear of 
the main hall.] — The 
Kitchen is really the 
pleasantest room in the 
house. In this the family 
spend very much of their 
in-door life together, and 
special efforts are made to 
render this apartment as 
cheerful as possible, by 
giving it a favorable posi¬ 
tion with good outside 
views, and where it shall 
be well sheltered from 
storms, and shaded from 
the direct rays of the sun. 
Itis of fair size, with front, 
rear, and side windows, a 
large open flre-plaoe, and 
a 6 by 6 feet pantry. A 
pump and sink (not shown 
on the plan) are placed be¬ 
tween the fire-place and 
pantry, under the window. 
The stairs to the cellar is 
under the main flight. 
An outside door opens to 
the rear veranda. 
Second Story (fig. 4).—Hight of ceiling in 
the main house, 9 feet, and in the wing 4 feet 
at the sides, and following the roof to the full 
hight of 8 feet. This story contains a hall, five 
rooms, and two closets. If desired, the rear 
wing room (6 by 14 ft.) may be furnished and 
need as a bath-room, with water pipes direct from 
the sink and pump below — Construction.— 
The foundations are of broken stone and mortar, 
18 inches thick and 6i feet high, 21 feet of which 
show above ground, all neatly pointed where ex¬ 
posed to sight on the outside. The wails may be 
of brick where stone are not at hand, at a small ad¬ 
ditional cost, say $16 to $20. Chimneys are of 
brick, laid in the usual manner. The kitchen fire¬ 
place is arched to the hight of 5 feet. Frame of 
sawed spruce, of sizes shown in the estimate be¬ 
low, all thoroughly framed and secured with hard¬ 
wood pins. The entire sides of the frame-work are 
sheathed with rough selected boarding of even 
thickness. The siding is of 6-inch wide clear pine 
clap-boards to the hight of the belt course. Above 
this course the sides are shingled [or otherwise, as 
above stated]. The Roofs and Verandas are shin¬ 
gle covered. The Valleys, Gutters, and Leaders 
are tinned. All exposed timber on the verandas is 
dressed and chamfered. Flooring for verandas of 
narrow white pine, and for the inside of wide 
spruce. Marble Shelves are put in each of the 
principal rooms. Plastering: white tard-fiuish on 
two coats of brown mortar. Painting: two coate 
inside and ont of any desired shade.. .Estimate. 
—It being impracticable to follow the constantly 
changing prices, the items of cost are made at a 
uniform standard with those given in our more re¬ 
cent estimates. 
94 yards excavation, at 25 cents a yard..$ 23 50 
50 perches stone foundation, at $2.75 per perch. 18? 50 
4,000 Brick, in chimneys (laid), at $12 per M. 48 00 
560 yards Plastering, nt 25c. per yard.140 00 
3,000 feet of Timber, at $15 per 1,040, viz.:. 45 00 
2 8111s, 4x8 in. 30 ft. long. 2 Ties, 4x6 In. SO ft. long. 
2 Sills. 4x8 In. 22 ft. long. 1 Tie, 4x6 In. 18 ft. long. 
1 Sill. 4x8 in. 18 ft. long. 2 Ties, 4x6 In. 22 ft. long. 
2 8111s, 4x3 in. 16 ft. long. 4 Ties 4x6 In. 16 It. long. 
? Posts, 4x7 in. 20 ft. long. 2 Plates, 4x6 in.SO ft. long. 
2 Posts, 4x7 In. 15 ft. long. 2 Plates, 4x6 in.22 ft. long. 
1 Girder, 4x8 in. 18 ft. long. 28 Beams,3x8 in. 10 ft. long. 
1 Veranda, 3x8 In. 88 ft. long. 18 Beams, 3x8 In. 21 It, long. 
1 Uidge, 2x6 in. 62 ft. long. 
100 Joists, at 15c., $15.00 1 250 Wall Strips, at 12c., $S0.. 45 00 
325 Shingling Lath, at 6c. 19 50 
55 bunches Shingles, at $125,. .. 68 75 
250 Sheathing, at25c . $62.50 !4S08idVngs, at 12c„ #51.00.114 10 
Cornloe materinlR, $23 1 Veranda, finished, $30,... 58 00 
37 Flooring boards for Veranda, at 25*. each. 9 25 
185 Flooring boards for inside, at 28c.'each. 51 86 
4 Windows, cellar (complete), at $3 each. 12 06 
17 Windows, plain (complete), at $? each_,...119 08 
3 Windows, dormer (complete), at $10 each. 30 00 
17 Doors (complete), at $6 each.102 08 
Stalls. 35 08 
240 leet of Valley, Gutters, and Leaders, at 8c. per ft.. 19 20 
6Marble Mantelshelves. 22 00 
Closet, finished, $10; hails, 300 lbs., $12.. 22 00 
Painting, $110.00; Carting, $15.00. 125 00 
Carpeuter’s labor (not included above). 150 00 
Pump, Sink, and Inckleutals... . .. 103 40 
Total cost.$1,500 00 
The Wire Age.— We are told that the world 
has passed through a stone, brass, and iron age, etc.; 
and it now seems as if it had arrived at the wire age. 
In coming up the streets of a city, the first and the 
last thing to be seen, is a wire running—the mind 
only wonders where 1 Some one has aptly likened 
the interlacing wires in a city like New York, to 
the work of some giant spider, which has covered 
the streets and houses with a net-work of iron 
webs. But wires are not for city use alone. There 
are many times on the farm, when a piece of wire 
might prove of great service. There are other 
places than in a pig’s nose, where, if a bit of wire 
was used, much trouble might be 6nved. Things 
will break, and there is nothing better for mending 
than wire. A piece of harness, or a part of the 
wagon, harrow, cultivator, etc., may come apart at 
just the wrong time, and nothing will so easily 
mend matters as a piece of wire, if it is at hand. 
We keep in our work-shop, a large spool (in fact 
two, for different sizes) of copper wire, which 
comes in play so often, that it is looked upon as 
one of the essential things in the outfit of the shop, 
and we commend it to every fanner, as one of the 
greatest of little conveniences. A small coil or 
spool of such wire, should be kept in the work-coat 
pocket; it will save a vast deal of going to the 
house for repairs, and be one way of saving 
ts 
money. One should never 6tart on a journey, 
whether for several days, or only a few miles, with¬ 
out a coil of wire under the seat, or in some corner 
or part of the buggy or farm wagon. Thus pro¬ 
vided, one has the means of repairing almost every 
minor damage to harness or vehicle. In the mat¬ 
ter of wires, the country should not be out-done by 
the city. If It be “An age of wire,” it should be 
60 everywhere alike.... Since the above was in type, 
an Oriole’s or Hang-bird's nest is reported which 
the birds built near a mechanic’s shop, and had 
securely fastened it to the branch of the tree by 
means of pieces of wire which were found by the 
thoughtful birds in the sweepings of the shop. 
Fig. 1 .—FRONT ELEVATION OF OOTTAGE. 
