54 
A.MERICA2S AaEIOULTUElST. 
[FeBEUAEY; 
A Progressing Dakota Farm House. 
Mr. E. E. Brewer’s plans, herewith given, or 
something similar in idea, will meet the necessities 
of a multitude of new settlers, not only in Dakota 
but in every other State or Territory. As will be 
seen, it provides for a small house costing a hun¬ 
dred dollars or so, to afford a temporary abode 
while waiting for a first or second crop, but so 
erected that it can receive successive additions 
that will make use of the first structure, or previous 
additions, without loss or essential change. Mr. 
Brewer calls it a “ progressive ” farm house, but 
we adopt the term “ progressing,” implying that it 
is going on, making progress from time to time. 
The following are his descriptions sent us of the 
house, with a few modifications and suggestions : 
Oi'ig'iiial Mom^e, Figure 1.—This is a 
building eighteen by fourteen feet, with eight feet 
Fig. 1.—GEOUNB PLAN OF FIRST HOUSE. 
•corner posts, a “ balloon ” frame sheathed with 
rough boards, covered both on sides and roof with 
tarred or roofing paper. The whole cost would be 
from eighty to one hundred and twenty dollars, ac¬ 
cording to the local prices of building materials. 
The roofing paper should have a three-inch lap, and 
be fastened with cleats or lath, put down so firmly, 
that rain will not enter the seams or nail-holes. 
Adtlitioii, Figure 2 .—This is eigh- 
teeu by eight feet, with corner posts six feet six 
inches, which we may suppose to be added the 
second year, or after a crop is harvested. This part 
is covered on three sides like the first, and then the 
whole covered with ship-lap or other siding. The 
cost of addition, and siding for both, will ordinar¬ 
ily be about one hundred dollars. If the tarred paper 
is properly put on, there will be no need of shing- 
I 
5 x.\a 
\ W o vc\_ 
b 
Fig. 2.— WITH FIRST ADDITION. 
ling the roof. A temporary board partition is at a, 
to separate a bedroom six by eight feet. There can 
be a cheap board and cleat door to this, or a simple 
hanging curtain of chintz or calico, as it is to be re¬ 
moved at the next addition. We give copies of 
Mr. Brewer’s sketches, but suggest that the outside 
■windows and doors in the living-rootn and in the 
first addition, be so cut at first as to need no change 
of place in the final structure, as shown in figure 3. 
We have seen families on elevated bleak prairies 
in Dakota, who had passed one, two, and three win¬ 
ters in single-roomed dwellings, constructed of 
plank spiked to a sill and plate, set four to six 
inches apart, and roof boards with wider cracks be¬ 
tween—the whole covered with thick roofing paper, 
laid on lapping a little, like shingles, and held 
in place by narrow strips at 
the joinings. A load of lum¬ 
ber, a large roll of paper, and 
two days’ work would suffice 
for the whole structure. 
Banking outside with prairie 
sods, a cooking stove with 
pipe passing out through an 
earthen collar, made tight 
with hard mortar, and a few 
planks or boards for part or 
the whole of the floor, com¬ 
plete the outfit. A half dug- 
out sod structure protected 
team and cows.— Second. 
Addition, or complete 
house, is shown in figure 3; 
figure 4 is the Chamber Plan, 
and figure 5 the Elevation. 
This is to be done as soon as 
circumstances admit, in the 
third year or later. The size 
is sixteen by twenty-eight 
feet; bight of ceilings in first 
story, eight feet; in second 
story, the side walls are five feet four inches, with 
the ceilings following up the slope of the roof, until 
a bight of eight feet is reached. There should be 
a cellar under the whole of the upright, with en¬ 
trance from the store room, which has an out¬ 
side door for bringing in milk and other things to 
be kept in the cellar: figure 3 shows the room ar¬ 
rangement. The temporary partition (a, figure 2), 
is removed ; and a permanent partition put up to 
form an entry four by eight feet on the right end. 
A veranda is provided in front of the original struc¬ 
ture, with entrances to the dining-room and parlor. 
The front windows to the dining-room should 
be large, and the upper half of the front door 
glazed, and possibly that of the door to the kitchen, 
or this room will not be lighted enough for reading 
and sewing, especially as it is shaded in part 
by the veranda roof and the projecting main build¬ 
ing. In all structures, the eyes, and plenty of 
health-giving sun-light should always be cared for. 
The CliaiiiUei’ plan, and the ascent to 
it, are shown in figure 4. It will be noticed 
that the central chamber, nine by ten feet, 
stands partly out over the front veranda. 
The reader will notice that the lower part of 
figure 4 corresponds to the left side of 
figure 3. Klevsttioii, figure 5. The 
style and outside finish may be as here 
shown, or any other that may suit the 
owner. The third year, or when putting up 
the main part, the entire roof should be 
shingled, and the inside walls lathed and 
plastered. All the work, except the plaster¬ 
ing and fitting of doors and windows, can 
be done by the owner, if he have ordinary 
skill in handling simple tools. Built after 
the plans given, the cost of the entire strac- 
ture would be about six hundred dollars. 
There are plenty of settlers on government 
land in Dakota and elsewhere, who can pay 
the cost of such a house out of the profits 
of one year’s crop, and have enough left for 
furnishing it, or for barns and out-buildings. 
Little Comforts for Farmers. 
We say “little comforts,” but the neglect of 
them often leads to large discomforts, if not to ac¬ 
tual illness. Whoever does the “ chores” upon 
the farm, whether the farmer himself, or his help, 
should be able to go to the barn and do all needed 
work in the barn and barn-yard, and come back to 
the house with feet as dry as when he went out. 
Those who are at work in the wood-lot at chopping, 
or are engaged in rail splitting, will keep warm with 
the e.xercise, no matter how cold it may be. If 
they come home with wet feet, a cold and siekijess 
are quite apt to follow. Dry feet, in all out-door 
farm-work, should be regarded as something more 
than a mere comfort—it is really an essential. 
Eubber boots will keep out all external moisture, 
but they confine the internal moisture, the insensi¬ 
ble perspiration, and while they will answer for a 
brief exposure to mud and snow, one who wears 
them all day soon finds that his feet get parboiled 
and become exceedingly tender. For out-door 
winter work, strong boots, even heavy cowhides, 
made waterproof by a mixture which has been in 
use by New England fishermen for more than a 
century, and is in common use there in all sea-port 
towns, is much to be preferred. This is made by 
melling together four ounces of tallow, one ounce 
each of beeswax and rosin : when these are thor¬ 
Weevils. —Mr. E. B. Bates, Snow Hill, Md., has 
a “more excellent way ” of killing weevils in peas 
and beans, than that mentioned in the December 
American Agricuttvrisi (page 559). He places the 
peas or beans in an open basket, and pours scald¬ 
ing water over them. The water runs off so rapidly 
as not to injure their germinating power, but plays 
havoc with the weevil. Dry and bag the seeds, 
and keep them in the smoke house for the winter. 
Fig. 4.— THE CHAMBER PLAN. 
oughly melted and mixed', stir in an equal bulk of 
neats-foot oil. This is applied to the boots, both 
uppers and soles, as they are warmed before the 
fire,' rubbing it in well with a cloth or with the 
hands. To be thoroughly water-proof, the boots 
should have two coatings. It will at the same time 
keep the leather soft and pliable. Those who 
work at occupations requiring violent exercise, 
should, when they come in at night, change their 
underclothing which is dampened by pei'spiration. 
Keeping two suits to be worn on alternate days, to 
be changed on returning from work, is more than a 
“ little comfort”—it is a great one. In the domes¬ 
tic economy of our people, we give very small place 
