372 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
[October. 
In Favor of Rifle Clubs. 
We are pleased with the general interest now 
manifested in rifle shooting, and for several reasons. 
First, on public considerations. Our Country has al¬ 
ways depended upon its citizens for defense. Our 
Independence was achieved by the militia men, 
whose sure aim was too much for the disciplined, 
but poor shooting armies of a powerful kingdom. 
In Europe immense standing armies are maintained 
at an expense that crushes the people. Here are a 
few figures showing what it costs to sustain their 
armaments in time of peace , and how vast a number 
of men are withdrawn from productive labor. The 
first column includes the regularly enrolled soldiers, 
though a considerable number of these are part¬ 
ly engaged in other occupations in time of peace: 
Men Enrolled. 
France. 1,700,000 
Germany. 1,700,000 
Russia. 1,550,000 
Italy. 760,000 
Great Britain. 535,000 
Austria. 535,000 
Turkey. 300,000 
Spain. 270,000 
Switzerland. 180,000 
Sweden. 160,000 
Holland. 100,000 
Portugal. 73,000 
Denmark. 54,000 
Greece. 51,000 
Belgium. 43,000 
Annual Cost (fir old ), 
in Time of Peace. 
$133,000,000 
100,000,000 
136,000,000 
49,200,000 
124,000,000 
54,000,000 
28,000,000 
32,000,000 
1,800,000 
5,600,000 
5,600,000 
1,000,000 
1,830,000 
1,800,000 
8,296,000 
Total.. ..8,011,000 $682,126,000 
In this country we average about 25,000 men in the 
regular army, and half of these could be readily 
dispensed with, were it not for our peculiar situa¬ 
tion in reference to the Aboriginees, who must be 
guarded, as well as guarded against, 10,000 Regu¬ 
lars would suffice to picket the fortifications and 
protect them from decay, and supply a small na¬ 
tional police. We have no occasion for an offensive 
war, and need have little fear of a defensive one. 
We can well depend upon our citizens in case of an 
unjust war forced upon us. From the battles of 
Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill, to now, the 
citizens trained to use the rifle skillfully against 
wild animals, have been powerful adversaries in 
battle. Many illustrations of this were seen in the 
late domestic conflict. The western and southern 
men were a match, one to three, against those from 
the older eastern states, where the rifle had nearly 
gone into disuse. We have seen some of these 
contests, and from the nature of the case, we would 
prefer to go into battle with 2,000 men who could 
each pick off his enemy at a fourth to half a mile, 
than to be one of 10,000 such shooters as formed the 
bulk of recruits from the eastern half of the United 
States in 1861-05. 
With occasional practice in a local rifle club, a 
large majority of the members acquire skill, stead¬ 
iness, and confidence, so that at a distance of 300 
yards or >/ 6 of a mile, they can strike a foot target 
off-hand with every second shot at least, and a 30 to 
40-inch target at half a mile or more. Now suppose 
that in 20,000 of our towns we have 25 such marks¬ 
men among the young and middle-aged men. This 
would supply a powerful, effective reserve of half a 
million, equal for defense to two or three millions 
of such men as have usually made up the standing 
armies of Europe. With such a force, with educa¬ 
ted officers to train and direct them if occasion 
required, no other nation would be likely to molest 
us under any slight provocation. As every regiment 
of regulars costs us about §1,000,000 a year, our 
General Government could well afford to cut its 
army down still more, and appropriate four or five 
millions, if need be, to encouraging the formation 
of rifle clubs, supplying them weapons for practice, 
and instructors, when needed. So much for a na¬ 
tional view of the subject. 
This is the day of athletic and other field sports, 
ball-playing, boating, etc., and, we are sorry to sav, 
of horse-racing. Most young men would take more 
pleasure in sending a rifle-ball straight to the dis¬ 
tant “bull s eye” than in any other amusement. 
The walk to the rifle range, and the individual par¬ 
ticipation in the shooting, would furnish better and 
higher toned exercise than going to the race-course. 
Rifle-shooting can be participated in by a much 
larger number than can indulge in boating. The 
latter exercise, as well as ball-playing, is frequently 
of a violent character, while in the ball-field the, 
chief participants are a few “picked nines.” In 
the well-organized rifle-clubs there is really less 
danger to limb, and to life even, than in the ball- 
field, as it is now conducted with the lead-like 
“ regulation halls and bats.” There is not a little 
thought and science cultivated in the use of the 
target rifles, as now made, including the calcula¬ 
tions for distances, variation by winds, state of the 
atmosphere, etc. We suspect the students at col¬ 
leges would as a whole get more and better exercise 
and amusement, and suffer less in morals, if rifle- 
clubs should take the place of the rowing-club, and 
of “college nines” of the ball-field. [For some 
notes on target rifles, see Supplement to this paper]. 
A Farm House Costing $2,800. 
BY 0 . B REED, ARCHITECT, CORONA, LONQ ISLAND, N. T. 
These plans were designed for a convenient and 
comfortable Farm-house in the American style, 
comprehending the most economical and practical 
cheerful and lively appearance always desirable in. 
a country home, and very pleasant to the passer-by. 
The ridged roofs, with their spreading gables, and. 
ample projections, are features of frankness in 
W'hich there is no attempt at concealment or imita¬ 
tion. The Bay-Windows, wide Entrance, and spa¬ 
cious Piazza, are each expressive of liberality and 
refinement. The extreme simplicity of the details, 
and methods of construction, devoid of all osten¬ 
tatious display, clearly express the purpose of the 
building, and commend it to the consideration of 
all who are interested in rural house building.... 
I 1 oundatioii, (fig. 2.)—In most locations stone 
are abundant, our estimate comprehends the build¬ 
ing of the foundation walls of rough broken stone 
laid in coarse mortar, and neatly pointed where ex¬ 
posed to sight. Any man who is at all familiar with 
the most ordinary stone-work, such as building 
“ wall ” fences, could build these foundations ac- 
ceptibly; they should be laid up 18 inches thick,, 
and flush with the outside of the frame-work of the 
building. Our plan shows a cellar under the cen¬ 
tral part of the building only, w'hich should be 7 
feet deep; this cellar will be found sufficiently 
methods of construction. The size, and shape of 
such houses should be made to conform to the re¬ 
quirements of those who are to occupy them. Un¬ 
like the villager, the farmer has ample road front, 
and his house should be so arranged as to secure 
the most pleasant outlook from the living rooms. 
Exterior, (figure 1.) —Farm-houses usually 
stand disconnected and apart from other buildings, 
and should have outlines that will best adapt them 
to the conditions that are otherwise manifest in 
the location. This plan is intended for an eastern 
frontage, where it would face the morning sun, 
when the principal and broader portions of the 
building, at the right, would be doubly valuable as 
a shield to ward off the northern winds from the 
parts of the house most used by the occupants. 
(By reversing the plan it would be equally adapted 
to the opposite, or easterly side of a road.) It is 
intended that the body of the house shall be set at 
least two feet above the ground, this gives oppor¬ 
tunity for good sized cellar window's, that will ad¬ 
mit light, and afford good openings for cellar venti¬ 
lation, and also secure the framework of the build¬ 
ing against moisture from the ground. Such mois¬ 
ture, if allowed, will cause decay of the sills, and 
other principal timbers, and is sure to percolate up¬ 
ward into the house, filling it with unwholesome 
vapors. The variety of the general outlines as 
shown in the Elevation are calculated to impart a | 
large for the uses of most families, but may be en¬ 
larged if desirable. [One of the “wise sayings”' 
we heard in youth, was, “ always build your 
cellar under the whole house.” Unless there are 
ample cellars under the barns, the house-cellar is 
never too large. In this case, it will he but little 
extra cost and labor, to carry the foundations 
down, and take out the earth. The walls provided 
would do most of this, and then we have ample 
cellars for all wants, and have room to partition off 
fruit and vegetable rooms, the former of which 
need to be much cooler than the latter, if one would 
keep fruit well— Ed.] The side walls of the Area 
are built of the same materials as the cellar walls, 
with the stone steps inserted W'hilc building. The 
foundations shown on the plan where no cellar is 
required, are built of the same materials, laid in 
trenches, which have been excavated 18 inches 
wide, and 2 feet deep. The chimney foundations 
should be started, and laid up with the other w'alls. 
A very effectual ventilation may be provided from 
the cellar by arranging an opening that shall lead 
to the left-hand flue of the kitchen chimney; this 
flue will be warmed by contact with the range when 
in use, and a strong draft will be made, which will 
exhaust the damp foul odors so common in deep 
cellars. It will be observed that the cellar is pro¬ 
tected from the extreme changes of outward tem¬ 
perature by the walls and spaces at each side, and 
