24 
A NORTHERN COUNTRY HOUSE. 
tation to speak to the question under discussion, 
or give some information about his peculiar 
manner of fencing, or keeping his stock or 
growing his crops, with the manner of plowing, 
manuring, &c. 
In this way, much useful information is 
brought to light and many very pleasant eve¬ 
nings passed 01T during the long winter months. 
Of course, a few nuts, apples, and cakes, and 
sometimes a cup of tea add to the enjoyment. 
We commend a great many other neighbor¬ 
hoods to follow the same course during the 
present winter, and increase not only their ag¬ 
ricultural knowledge, but gather a stimulus to 
improve that which they already possess. 
Short, pithy, reports of such discussions 
would be interesting to the readers of agricultur¬ 
al papers. 
A NORTHERN COUNTRY HOUSE. 
From an elegant, and 
somewhat expensive work 
entitled the “Palace of 
Architecture,” we transfer 
to our columns the ac¬ 
companying design of an 
Italian villa, in a modi¬ 
fied style, which, for cer¬ 
tain localities and picto - 
rial effect, appears to be 
well adapted to our north¬ 
ern climate, as well as 
to the habits of our people, 
and would form an ap¬ 
propriate mansion for a 
wealthy gentleman in the 
country. 
Taking its arrangement 
from its owner, its exter¬ 
nal features from mod¬ 
ern Italy, and its com¬ 
plexion from Greece, it may be thus de¬ 
scribed in its own words : “ I occupy an elevat¬ 
ed site, having pleasing prospects to the south 
and east, with the opportunity, by some addi¬ 
tional elevation, of commanding a panoramic 
view of the domain in which I am situated. 
Hence, the position of my two terraced fronts, 
and the existence of my prospect tower, at their 
angle of union. My roof is low, because I am 
frequently subject to violent winds; and it ex¬ 
tends considerably beyond the face of my walls, 
to protect them from our heavy falling rains. 
To avoid the retention of collected snow, lam 
without parapets. My windows are sashes, 
sliding up and down, because there is great 
difficulty in making hinged casements, exclude 
the damp and cold. My bed-chamber windows 
are preserved from much wet and noise by the 
projecting eaves of my roof. My lower windows 
are protected by their own cornices. Except to 
my entrance portico, I have no external columns; 
because it is impertinent in any house to exhibit 
them as mere ornaments, and I have no use for 
them elsewhere. They here support a flat roof, 
serving as a shelter for the carriage at my door 
and also as a balcony connected with 4 my lady’s 
chamber.’ My terraces originate in the pecu¬ 
liar form of the surrounding ground. The re¬ 
quired shape and arragemect of my rooms, pre¬ 
vented uniformity in my east and south fronts 
respectively; but, in the angular view, which 
includes these fronts, is seen a uniform compo¬ 
sition, of which my tower forms the centre. My 
entrance front, you well observe, is perfectly 
regular in design. Thus I pride myself on the 
variety of effects, which successively present 
themselves, as you walk around me. 
“ As to my style, it is not pointed Gothic, be¬ 
cause the necessary form and construction of 
my roof and windows obstinately decline it. It 
is not Roman, because all my details are Greek. 
It is not Athenian, because I have arch-headed 
openings, and a Tuscan roof. What am I, then, 
but an English, [or an American,] mansion, 
adapted to any locality, and to the climate and 
customs of my country ?” 
-- 
Bean Straw should not be wasted. It is good 
feed for sheep, and they are very fond of it. 
Pea straw, if cut green and well cured, is 
good feed for all kinds of stock. 
