Evening star., 1901-04-02
BUILDING A FARM HOUSE
SUGGESTIONS TO THOSE WHO WOULD
PLAN A HOME.
Importance of u WeII-ChOsen Site
General Principles to
Be Observed.

bulletin presenting suggestions to
builders of farm houses, and which was
prepared by Mr.. George w. Hill, chief of
the division of publications, has just been
issued by the Department of Agriculture.
There is no more important undertake
ing on the farm Mr.. Hill says, than the
building of the house which is to be at
once the owners residence, his office and
in every sense of the word his home. But
notwithstanding this fact there is no un-
dertakng which. sometimes as a result
of entirely unavoidable circumstances,
more often from other causes, receives so
little forethought, SO little careful consid-
Grafton and so little Sklllful planning ana
workmanship.
TOO often the farmer finds himself COM
PEELED to provide a residence for himself
and his family on short notice and on
short bank account. The result Is an IN
convenient, poorly constructed, and fire.
quently, in the end, an uneconOmical house.
Many facts and ideas which the farmer
has stored away in his mind for such an
emergency are crowded out or lost sight
of in the press Of time. Frequently the
nearest village carpenter has to be in
trusted with many important details, and
the result is far from satisfactory.
TT Is with the hope Of being of service
to all who have to build a farm house
that this bulletin is written, but parttcu-
larly is it aimed to help those who have
neither the time nor the funds to build
ats they would like to, and who must, there
fore, begin in very modest way. To
that end some very trite statements are
made some very simple facts stated-facts
that everybody knows, but which many
are apt to forget at the very time when
their remembrance would prove useful
1t is said that by carefully designing
house so as to facilitate it's subsequent en-
convenience increased. Additions costing
800 might nave been so provided for in
the original scheme as to have permitted
of their erection for $3.50, and so on. Poor
ly lighted and inconvenient rooms and pas
sages, inaccessible chimneys, steep or dark
stairways etc, are all likely to prove OBJ
staces In building additions to houses
where the original plans did not take into
consideration the probability Of such addi-
tionS.
Site for a Farm House.
After recting the necessity for perfecting
title to the land the bulletin treats of the
matter of the site for the house. 1.-THE
first, and by all odds the most important,
consideration is that Of healthfulness," says
Mr. Hill. Build on low ill-drained ground
and ill-health will follow as inevitably as
night follows day. A dry, well-drained soil
is absolutely essential, but the question of
air drainage should not be lost sight of. A
hollow, however porous and well-drained
the soil, will prove cold, frosty spot in
winter. hot and sultry one in summer. A
site too closely shut IN by timber Will lose
what 1T may gain in shade by the absence
of free circulation Of air, by the cutting off
of every breeze during the sultry days of
summer and. in winter, the absence of
sunlight is again drawback All things
considered, gentle hillside slope offers the
greatest advantages, and, If a hillside
where the highest land is to the north and
west, little more could be desired. In many
portions of the country strip Of timber
of greater or less extent to the north and
west Is an essential, not only to the COM
fort of the house. but to the comfort of
those who are obliged to do chores about
it in the severer weather, as well as the
stock which must be quartered near it.
Again, few fine shade trees are a great
addition to both the comfort and beauty of
the farm home, and while trees may be
planted and win grow in time, other things
being equal, the advantage OF building near
a few fine trees should not be lost sight Of
After the consideration of healthfulness
there is, perhaps, none more important
than that of water. A good well cannot be
secured everywhere, and there Is no greater
Inconvenience than to have the well located
far from the house. In fact, the nearer it
is the better.
Planning the House.
Having conceived the general idea of
the house to be built. the next step is to
lay It out on paper. and far better idea