112 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
March, 
- ANDERSON SC. 
Description of a Country Dwelling. 
The following plan and description were furnished us 
by a correspondent, from whose sketch of an elevation 
we have procured the above perspective view. This 
plan is in the main, we think, an unusually good one, 
and furnishes a large number of conveniences combined 
together. We cannot but think however, that either 
greater height, than our correspondent indicates, must 
be given to the main building, or else less to the wing, 
in order to prevent the latter from being made too flat 
to carry off water freely, and also to allow space enough 
between the upper part of this roof and the eaves above, 
to avoid a heavy appearance—an evil of almost univer¬ 
sal occurrence in building wings. We think, too, that a 
different disposition of the front windows of the parlor 
might be adopted, so as to avoid the unpleasant and 
singular defect of a half window in the extreme interior 
corner. For instance, the parlor might receive the full 
benefit of both windows, and the small apartment at the 
end of the hall lighted from the “ stoop.” We dislike 
an awkward exterior, it is true; and still more do we 
dislike an awkward interior. But we must not find fault 
.—we only intended suggestions for a little improve¬ 
ment. Eds. 
Eds. Cultivator. — I have been much interested, from 
time to time, in looking over the numerous plans of 
buildings which have appeared in the Cultivator, and I 
cannot but think that any farmer or other person, con¬ 
templating the erection of buildings, may, by carefully 
examining these plans, derive hints from them, if not 
obtain entire plans, worth more, and which will save 
them more while building, if adopted, than the entire 
cost of your paper from its first publication, many times 
over. 
It is a matter of surprise to me, that in a climate as 
cold as ours, so little attention is given in building, to 
render houses warm and comfortable. A little atten¬ 
tion and expense, during the construction of a building, 
would add much in these particulars. The use of un¬ 
burnt brick, or the warm covering recommended in the 
enclosed plan, with the double coat of plastering around 
the outer portion, or exposed part of the building, would 
do much towards accomplishing this. Another thing 
material is to avoid opening doors immediately into the 
rooms, from outside. Where a stoop or hall intervenes 
between the open air and the rooms of a house, they 
are rendered much warmer. With all these precautions, 
air enough for ventilation will generally enter through 
the windows. 
Not only should a house be constructed with reference 
to its being warm and comfortable, but the arrangement 
of the rooms should be such as to make them convenient 
for all purposes of house-keeping,* at the same time 
they should be well lighted, to render them cheerful 
and pleasant. Where the windows are much exposed 
to the sun, they should be protected by blinds, or veran¬ 
dahs if preferred. As-a general rule, however, these 
last are objectionable on account of..light. 
In the country where there is plenty of room for 
building, a house should never be built without an up¬ 
per kitchen,—the room of all others in a house, that 
should be the most used. In cities where ground is 
costly and lots small, and where there is no unexposed 
place for exercise, it may, perhaps, be necessary, to save 
expense and to afford needful exercise to the inmates 
of the house, by running up and down stairs, to build 
basement kitchens, but in the country no such reasons 
exist. The pure open air is the place of all others, to 
which a person would desire to resort for exercise. The 
kitchen should be easy of access from all parts of the 
house, without having to pass from one room to another, 
in order to reach it, while it should, if possible, be in a 
measure disconnected with the principal rooms of the 
house. The necessary appendages of the kitchen—as 
the pantry, closet for kitchen utensils, cistern, sink, &c., 
should be conviently located. 
Since writing the above, I have had the curiosity to 
hastily run over the plans in the two last volumes of the 
Cultivator, and I find some one or more of the objec¬ 
tions which I have mentioned existing in almost every 
plan; indeed, in some of them I imagine I see such 
faults, that I am almost tempted to take them up sepa¬ 
rately, and point out what seems to me to be objection¬ 
able in each of them; but when I remember the old 
adage, 11 never find fault with a man’s house or his wife,” 
I think it will be acting the wiser part to let each one 
find out what is objectionable for himself, as all are at 
liberty to do with the one enclosed. 
Explanation of plan .—The plan enclosed, is intended 
to be a story and one half in height, with a lean-to upon 
one side and end. It is 24 by 36 feet, with 16 feet posts. 
The lean-to part is 13 feet wide upon the side, and 16 
feet wide at the end, with 10 feet posts. In the princi- 
