44 
AMERICAN AGrRIO i LTURlST, 
RESIDENCE OF SAMUEL B. PARSONS, FLUSHING, L. !. 
In our last volume, we published a regular se¬ 
ries of articles and illustrations upon Farm Build¬ 
ings, according to a general plan. In the present 
volume we propose to give a variety, including 
both large and costly structures as well as small, 
low priced ones. We have no definite plan, but 
shall select from a variety of sources. We give 
herewith, the elevation, and floor plans of the 
dwelling of Samuel B. Parsons, of Flushing, L. I., 
with such specific descriptions as may serve for 
useful hints to others contemplating building. 
This house stands at the head of and facing 
Rowne Avenue, (just north of the “Fox Oak” 
pictured in December, Vol. 17, page 359). The 
site is an elevated one, overlooking Flushing Bay 
and most of Flushing Village, as well as the Pal¬ 
isades on the Hudson River, and the East River 
(i.e. western part of Long Island Sound). The view 
from the house North and AVest is a magnificent 
one, while East and South-east are the extensive 
green and hot-houses and the commercial gar¬ 
dens and Nurseries. 
The style of the house is plain—rather too 
much so for one so large and expensive, to suit 
the general taste—but it is in keeping with the 
views of the Society of Friends, to which the pro¬ 
prietor belongs. We think it would appear bet¬ 
ter if the first floor were somewhat higher, to raise 
the whole building to a greater hight, and give a 
more commanding appearance. As shown in the 
elevation and ground plan (fig. 2), it is surrounded 
on three sides (East, South, West) and on a part 
of the North side, with a wide (10 feet) piazza, the 
roof of which is supported by a row of plain, round, 
Doric columns. 
The general color is a light drab. The struc¬ 
ture is of wood, the outer eoverinc being plank 
I or boards 1£ inches thick, tongued and groved, 
j the joints put together with white lead ground in 
oil. The walls are filled in with bricks, laid flat, 
an inch space being left between ebricks, and 
outside covering. Both main and piazza roofs 
are covered with tin. The blinds and also the 
close sliding shutters all open inside, and are thus 
accessible without going outside, or opening the 
windows. This plan is, we think, the better one 
generally, where dwellings are not exposed in 
crowded streets to missiles or other damage, 
and especially where the windows are protect¬ 
ed from hail stones by piazza roofs or window 
caps. 
A circular carriage path passes in front of the 
south entrance. From this is a side carriage way 
along side the east piazza, and passing under the 
covered porch, or port-cochhe (carriage gate or 
way), the roof of which is supported by the two 
pillars shown on the extreme right of fig. 2. This 
is a special convenience which should be provided 
in connection with every house, where it can be 
afforded, as it enables persons to get into or out 
of a carriage under cover. 
FIRST FLOOR OR GROUND PLAN. 
Entering the Vestibule on the south, which is 
provided with outside and inside doors, we come 
to the main hall, 14 by 16 feet, which also an¬ 
swers for an occasional sitting room. On the 
I>ft of the Vestibule is a closet for hanging over¬ 
coats, and other articles not in constant use, and 
on the right is a sort of business closet provided 
with a standing writing desk, etc. 
The stairs which are of solid oak, are in an in¬ 
ner hall, shut off from the rest of the house, and 
1 lighted from above. The Library is connected with 
: the Parlor or Drawing-room, by sliding doors, and 
! is also accessible from the stair hall. The library 
is finished with solid English oak, the book¬ 
cases being set into the walls. The bay window 
of the library, on the north, opens upon the pros¬ 
pect referred to above. The china pantry opens 
into the dining-room, and is connected with the 
butler’s (waiter’s) pantry, which is supplied 
with gas, and with pipes of hot and cold water, 
and a sink with waste-pipe, or drain. 
A hall or entry-way between the dining-room 
and kitchen opens out to the porte-cochhe or car¬ 
riage way. On one side of this hall is the store¬ 
room, opening both into the hall and kitchen, and 
also into the kitchen-dresser by a sliding window. 
The kitchen sinks, as well as the bathing rooms 
above (fig. 3), are supplied with both hot and cold- 
water—the cold water coming from a tank which 
is kept filled from a spring on much lower ground, 
some 75 or 100 rods distant, by means of a wind¬ 
mill, and a water-ram (such as was described in 
our last volume, page 324). 
Underneath the kitchen is a dairy room, and 
also a laundry and drying room, supplied with 
permanent wash-tubs, ironing range, etc. A cool 
closet in the ice-house is connected with the cel¬ 
lar by a passage way—the ice-house is an under 
ground one, back of the east piazza. In the 
rear is a covered passage or hall leading to the 
water-closets—a continuous roof extending ovoi 
the whole structure. The other features, the 
closets of which there is a good supply, the back 
stairs, etc., etc., are sufficiently indicated in fig. 2. 
The general impression from an examination of 
the diagram, is that too much space is devoted 
to halls—there is not available room enough for 
so large a building. We think he proprietor 
