48 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[February, 
VIEW OF THE TOOL HOUSE OF TOWNSEND SHARPLESS, AT HIS SUMMER RESIDENCE IN BIRMINGHAM TOWNSHIP, CHESTER COUNTY, PENN. 
A Tool House—Valuable Suggestions. 
A separate place far each thing, and every thing in its place. 
All ranged in order, and disposed with grace, 
Shape marked of each, and each one in its place; 
Nor this alone the curious eye to please, 
But to be found, whene’er required, with ease. 
II used or loaned, and not returned by rule, 
The vacant shape will show the missing tool; 
Thus often urged the carelqss will improve, 
And rules of order soon will learn to love. 
The Tool House, drawings of which are presented 
to the readers of the. Agriculturist, is at the summer 
residence of a citizen of Philadelphia. . The build¬ 
ing- is 20 feet long by 12 feet wide, and is lined with 
smooth boards. The engravings are exact represen¬ 
tations of the building and its interior arrange¬ 
ments, with a few slight exceptions; and notwith¬ 
standing there are about 200 tools or implements 
upon its walls, yet the number may be considerably 
increased by filling up the vacant spaces with 
smaller articles, as there may be occasion. The 
tools are well secured in their places, and yet may 
be taken down or put up with ease. They are sup¬ 
ported by means of nails, iron hooks of different 
sizes (such as are used by plumbers), stout iron 
staples, both flat and found, and lighter ones made 
of wire with the ends sharpened, and of size pro¬ 
portioned to the weight of the tool. The shape of 
each article is marked upon the wall , with a small 
stiff brush and ink, and the tools being upon the 
sides of the building, the floor is left free for other 
purposes. Their methodical arrangement, and the 
shape of each being distinctly marked, combine 
advantages as to economy of space and security 
against loss, which could not perhaps be so well at¬ 
tained by any other mode, and it is believed to be 
the secret of causing things to keep in their places. 
The writer, with whom the idea of marking out 
the shape originated, has had the plan in operation 
for many years, and always with satisfactory re¬ 
sults ; and the illustrations are presented in the 
hope that they may lead others to adopt this plan. 
