HOUSE AND GARDEN 
September, 1913 
139 
around outside it. This is merely 
a question of path arrangement, 
■which can only be solved by the 
individual. But the problem of 
eliminating some of the abuses 
named earlier in this article can 
be answered for most small places. 
An easy expedient is the door- 
screen lattice. Where the trades¬ 
men’s path reaches the house, 
inclose the driveway with a lattice 
framework like a four-leaved 
screen. If the style of architec¬ 
ture allows, or desire dictates, 
have supports of pergola-like bars 
over which vines are trained. 
Within this little inclosure there 
is place for all the appurtenances 
of the kitchen entrance, and, 
strangely enough, lattice with a 
wide mesh really effectually con¬ 
ceals these objections. Planting, 
of course, renders the lattice still 
more attractive. Such a lattice 
framework is desirable, even 
where the kitchen entrance is at a 
lower level, as is often the case 
where a flight of stone steps leads 
to an area in the basement. The 
lattice then serves as a protection 
and an ornament and covers up the 
great gaping holes in the ground. 
But the kitchen yard may be still larger; it may provide a space 
for drying clothes. It may be a more generous enclosure, that, 
although it does not allow of entrance for a wagon, serves all 
necessary purposes without it. 
In some cases where the house is so situated that planting and 
screening make it necessary to protect only one point of view, a 
single screening fence may be built. A little wicker gate allows 
passage through this, 
and often such a lat¬ 
tice fence may be so 
combined by the ar¬ 
chitect with the gen¬ 
eral roof line that it 
helps to tie the house 
to the ground. 
Whether ample serv¬ 
ice yard or laundry 
yard or kitchen court 
or lattice screen, or 
even lattice fence, the 
same structural ideas 
apply, and these are 
worth considering. 
First of all, lattice 
should have a solid 
outline. The posts of 
a line of treillage 
should be solid and 
look solid. In Colo¬ 
nial days they were 
often surmounted 
with urn-shaped orna¬ 
ments. The houses of 
Cambridge and Salem 
have such gate-post ornaments, 
and the designs are known every¬ 
where. But the Colonial prece¬ 
dent was to duplicate, if possible, 
the detail used in the exterior 
woodwork. If the piazza post or 
outside moldings or any wood¬ 
work has a pronounced design, it 
is well to repeat it when any orna¬ 
mentation is to be used with lat¬ 
tice. Perhaps a good square post 
with a flat top is as successful as 
anything, although many of the 
Philadelphia houses which have 
most attractive service yards, 
often use the turned acorn, small 
and inconspicuous. As a general 
rule the rectangular lattice mesh 
is preferable to the ovals and 
curves of French treillage. Good 
dimensions are squares of about 
seven inches in diameter. The 
simplest carpentry employed gives 
best results, namely, a set of up¬ 
right bars passed over those going 
longitudinally. I11 most work it 
is considered best to have the up¬ 
rights outside the strips running 
horizontally, for then the shadow 
caused by the perpendicular lines 
gives a pleasant effect of height. 
Variations are often successful¬ 
ly made in building a fence base and crowning this with lat¬ 
tice. The change in construction between the base and the top 
of the work allows chance for variation in color with white fence 
and posts. The openwork screen may be brown or green. Lat¬ 
tice upright bars should be about 1" x y 2 "', the lighter wood 
yy x yy. The old work was generally pinned with wooden pins,, 
though a careful carpenter may use nails today as successfully. 
For the material a 
lasting hardwood is. 
best. Cypress, chest¬ 
nut or oak are avail¬ 
able materials. Cy¬ 
press has the advan¬ 
tage of being very 
enduring and being 
fairly reasonable and 
strong. This is a de¬ 
sirable feature when 
the lattice surrounds 
the laundry yard, as 
it should be sufficient¬ 
ly strong and of such 
solid construction 
that it will not be in¬ 
jured if used to sup¬ 
port the clotheslines. 
There are nine 
chances out of ten 
that it will be given 
this function whether 
there are clothespoles 
or not. The lattice 
yard can be made 
(Continued on page 
167) 
In place of a service yard a lattice screen is used, since only one 
point of view is necessary to be protected. This is a good 
form of gate 
The driveway for tradesmen ends in a turnaround adjoining the laundry yard. The small 
window close to the ground is within reach of a coal chute from a delivery wagon, and 
connects with coal bins 
