252 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[July, 
way, and that the results of its investigations shall 
he given to the world through its usual channels of 
information—which are quite sufficient for the pur¬ 
pose, costing the Government no more than the 
expense of sending intelligent occasional circulars 
to the different newspapers of the country. We 
have tried Commissioner Watts long enough. Let 
u6 now try some one else who has an intelligent 
conception of what it means to be at the head of 
the Department of Agriculture in an agricultural 
country like this. 
In reply to a correspondent from Washington 
Territory, I would say that the deep cans used in 
setting milk for cream are usually made 8 inches in 
diameter and about 30 inches deep. The best are 
those made under the patent of the Iron-clad Can 
Co., (of Greenpoint, N. Y.), the bottom of which 
is made of heavy galvanized iron. The extra 
Fig. 1.— ELEVATION OF FRONT OF HOUSE. 
weight at this point serves to ballast them, causing 
them to float in an upright position. It is rather 
heavy arms-length work for a woman to lift these 
can6 out of the water. To overcome this, I have a 
wooden bar, running lengthwise over my tank from 
which there hangs a small pully, carrying a cord 
with a hook at one end for use in raising the can. 
The pulley is attached to the bar by a loop which 
may be slipped back and forth to bring it to a de¬ 
sired position. 
A letter from Benton, HI., asks how'to treat a 
Jersey calf six weeks old which has the “ scours 
how much milk to feed it; how to feed cows when 
on good pasture to make them give a good amount 
of milk ; and how much milk my best Jersey cow 
gives. I should feed the calf only on fresh milk 
newly drawn—either from its own dam or from a 
cow which calved at about the same time. When 
once cured of his trouble, I should feed him on 
skimmed milk very gradually, increasing the pro¬ 
portion of new milk at the least indication of loose¬ 
ness of the bowels. I should get him to eat hay as 
soon as possible. Being once in condition, I should 
give him all the skimmed milk he would drink, and 
what hay or good grass he would eat, and should 
not allow him to run loose in the pasture until he 
was 3 or 4 months old. Cows on good pasture 
should have no additional food at all, if regard is 
had to their permanent value. I believe that all in¬ 
crease of milk that comes from feeding while cows 
have plenty of grass, is obtained at the cost of 
future usefulness. My best Jersey cow gives 13 
quarts of milk per day when at her best; she hard¬ 
ly falls below half this quantity up to 2 months 
before calving time, and we have difficulty in dry¬ 
ing her off finally. I have others which give 18, 
20 , and 22 quarts at their best, and which also hold 
out very well, but the smaller milker—being very 
rich in quality—will make more butter in the year 
than either of them, and it is butter and not milk 
that we ask of the Jersey. If quantity of milk is 
the object, a good Dutch eow and a good pump 
Fill beat the. Jersey out of sight, 
A House Costing $4,000. 
BT S. B. REED, ARCHITECT, CORONA, LOHO ISLAND, N. Y. 
These plans were designed for a suburban resi¬ 
dence, to take the place of one recently destroyed 
by fire. The original structure was cubiform in 
outline, resembling a huge box; with unbroken 
facades, and flat roof, destitute of beauty, and in 
strange contrast with the tasteful surroundings. 
The owner desired to use the old foundations, still 
in fair condition, without disturbing the grounds, 
underlying pipes; etc., and thus retain the nearly 
square ground plan, but a building with an exterior 
agreeing with the surroundings. While the main 
object in presenting this design, is to show that the 
ground plans do not necessarily determine the style 
of exterior dress, its general arrangement and 
character will be found to deserve favorable con¬ 
sideration_Elevsil.ion, (fig. 1.)—There is a 
constant demand for “Mansard Roofs,” arising 
from an aspiration for structures signifying origi¬ 
nality and progressiveness. The animated features 
of this style accord with activity, rather than of re¬ 
tirement, and adapt it to prominent situations, 
skirting the more public thoroughfares. The ob¬ 
jections to such roofs result from their frequent 
misapplication. They are manifestly inappropriate 
for retired or secluded situations, or for persons of 
purely domestic tastes. They also lose their iden¬ 
tity and expressiveness when duplicated in close 
and continuous proximity, as is often done in 
towns. But this is true of any other style. Variety 
is the spice of architecture... .Cellar, (fig. 2.)— 
Hight of 8 feet in clear. It has an outside rear 
entrance, is well lighted, and contains ample space 
for the furnace, and divisions for coal, vegetables, 
etc... .First Story, (fig. 3.)—Hight of ceilings 
10 feet. The accommodations are conveniently ar¬ 
ranged, and sufficient for a large family. The main 
entrance from the piazza is through large double 
doors and a vestibule. The hall is central and spa¬ 
cious, communicating with the principal rooms, 
and rear entry, and contains the main stairs, which 
are unusually wide and easy. The parlor and li¬ 
brary, divided by large sliding doors, can be used 
separately or together as one spacious room when 
desired. The dining-room and kitchen adjoin, and 
have the necessary pantries, range, pump, sink, and 
stationary wash-tubs, with cold and hot water. A 
Conservatory is entered from the dining-room 
through double sash doors, adding a cheerful fea¬ 
ture to this apartment, where the family spend 
much of their time. The rear may be reached from 
the dining-room in three ways—by the main hall 
and rear entry, or through the kitchen, or most 
pleasantly through the conservatory — Second. 
Story, (fig. 4.)—Hight of ceilings 9 feet. The 
divisions include a hall, four large chambers with 
closets to each, a front hall bed-room, and a bath¬ 
room. Each of the chambers has windows in two 
sides, giving opportunity for plentiful light and 
fresh air. The clear width of the room sections, 
(5 yards each), favor6 the economical cutting of 
carpets. The main 6tairs are made continuous to 
the attic story. The bath-room is furnished with 
a bath-tub, wash-bowl, and seat-closet, and with 
cold and hot water_ Construction. — The 
foundations, stone sills, area stoops, framing, in¬ 
closing, flooring, plastering, and painting, are simi¬ 
lar to those described on page 212 of American 
AyrwitMwrist for June, 1877. Care should be taken 
in covering the roofs, as the materials used (wood, 
tin, and slate), are entirely foreign to each other, 
and can only be placed in contact, and indirectly 
united. The wood should be thoroughly seasoned 
to prevent a future disturbance of the exterior cov¬ 
ering. All flashings along the sides of the dormers 
and other uprights, should be 10 inches wide, and 
double painted before being used. The conserva¬ 
tory is not floored, but is filled in with earth level 
with the foundation walls. A walk is laid through 
the center, of It x 4-inch slats, and the remaining 
space is devoted to plants. A furnace is placed in 
the cellar, with pipes to convey warm air to the 
principal rooms and halls of both stories, and to 
the conservatory. The pipes and register boxes, for 
conveying warm air to the second story, are placed 
in the chimneys while building them. There are 
open fire-places in the principal rooms, with marble 
mantles in the first story, and marble shelves in the 
chambers. Stucco cornices and centers, of appro¬ 
priate patterns, are put it the principal rooms and 
Fig. 4.— PLAN OF SECOND FLOOR. 
hall of the first story. A hall and stairway leading 
to the tower, is completed in the Attic, the other 
portions of the 3rd story are unfinished, but may be 
converted into pleasant rooms for school purposes, 
or chambers, as desired. 
Estimate, cost of materials and labor : 
114 yards excavation at 20 cents per yard'.. .$22.80 
84 perches stone-foundation, at $2.75 per perch....... 231.00 
60 ft. blue-stone sills, steps and coping, at 28c. per ft. 16.80 
8000 bricks, furnished and laid, at $12 per M. 96.00 
1000 yards plastering, at SO cents per yard. 300.00 
230 feet stucco cornices and centers, at 25c. per foot.. 57.50 
8305 feet of timber, at $16 per M. 132.88 
' '' ' ' Ties, 4x6 in. 350 feet long. 
I’lates, 4x6 in. 247 feet long. 
Perlines, 3x8 in. 215 feet iong. 
2 girders, 4x8 in. 30 feet long 
2 6ills, 4x8 in. 30 feet long. 
2 sills, 4x8 In. 40 feet long. 
2 sills, 4x8 in. 23 feet long. 
2 sills, 4x8 In. 11 feet long. 
9 posts, 4x7 in. 23 feet long. 
2 posts, 4x7 in. 32 feet long. 
2 posts, 4x7 in. 12 feet long. 
2 posts, 4x6 in. 11 feet long 
51 beams, 3x8 in. 25 feet long. 
15 beams, 8x8 in. 21 feet long. 
50 beams. 3x8 in. 16 feet. long. 
4 hips, 3x7 in. 14 feet long. 
Piazza, 3x7 in. 176 fret long. 
_ ____ Piazza, 3x5 in. 86 feet long. 
6 locust posts at 30c.. $1.80; 150 joists, at 16c., $24... 25.80 
J50 wall strips, at IS cents each. .. .. 19.50 
220 sheatiling, at 18c., $39.60; 500 Its. tarred felting, $20 59.60 
400 clapboards, at 12 cents each. . 
370 hemlock boards for roof, at 16 cents each 
14 squares slate at $8K per square.. 
20 squares tin at $7 y, per square.. 
Cornice materials. 
335 pieces flooring, (9 inch) at 18 cents each... 
Piazzas and porches, complete. 
9 cellar windows, complete, at $5 each. 
24 plain windows, complete, at $12 each. 
18 dormer windows, complete, at $16 each... 
Stairs, complete. $100; 45 doors, com’e, at 
Closets, $30; nails, $20. 
3 marble mantles, $75; 4 marble shelves, $25. 
Range and plumbing. 
Sky-light in conservatory. 
Furnace and pipes. 
Carting, average 1 mile.. 
Carpenter's labor, not included above. 
Painting, $220; Incidentals, $19. 
Total Cost, complete. 
48.00 
59.20 
119.00 
150.00 
>".62 
.39 
160.00 
45.00 
2-S.i io 
283.00 
$10, $150 550.00 
.... 50.00 
... 100.00 
... 260.00 
... 12.00 
... 150.00 
... 40.00 
... 800.00 
... 269.00 
.$4,000,00 
