The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-14

/ ever small the place. one must always
consider these factors:
"a The proper location Of the house
on the place.
(2) The house itself.
(3) The opportunities for water
supply and sewerage disposal.
(D Possibilities for beautifying the
! surroundings.
a mans home should be the express
Sion of mis- own individuality. There
lore. when YOU see any community In
which all homes look alike some hing
Is wrong with tho people; individuality
Is gone and they are drifting towards
peasantry. 1t Is, therefore. naturally
impossible for me. or any one. to say
what you should do In your own case.
but certain fundamentals of method
hold In all cases and cannot be rio-
lated without loss of effect.
An old English adage reads: Every
mans home is his castle" Every
home should. therefore. bear on It's
face the evidences OF individual main
tenance and private ownership. What
ever Is private should look private.
Every house, therefore. should be
placed we'll back from the public
thoroug hfare, as far as conditions will
permit, and should have It's own pri-
vate road or approach The private road
should indicate Its distinctiveness from
the high way By some kind Of gateway.
and contribute to the dignity of the
house site TO which 1t leads by being
we'll graded and pade wide. and, If
possible. planted In trees. a little
loving labor from father now Will
create for the son at his majority a
royal avenue of oaks or elms or other
trees Of long life and dignity.
m -,
winters need not be feared. the home
place should be located as high as
possible to- catch the ,breezcs Of sum
ner. 1t should be surrounded by shade
trees, but, most open on the side OF
the prevailing summer winds. rNistas
should be cut or arranged In evcry
direction in which the eye of the
master should range 10 oversee the
working OF the place The trees
lived fruit trees, but the strongest.
largest and longest-lived trees In the
section for they mark the outer de-
Tense of your castle. The pecan tree
is ideal in every respect. M
In the South the highest spot should
be selected. not only on account of the
brcezes, but also to secure the best
drainage. IL possible, no swamp
should be allowed within 500 yards
Of the house, and between the pro-
iecting grove and neighboring water
course should be pastures. open
ground. because the malarial type o;
mosquitoes will not cross 200 yards
OF open grass land unless driven by
Winds beyond their power. All these
things and moro should he considered
in planning for lifetime-be the
place great OF small.
And now as TO the house itself. the
heart of the farm. When Sterling
Calder. tho sculptor, undertook to
adorn his has relief of John Ruskin.
the aesthetic philoso pher, with some
saying OF that great lover OF the beau
tiful, he chose these words:
II would have our ordinary house
built TO last and be loved. ms rich and
fun OF pleasantness as may be-
within and without
That is it--a house to last and he
loved; TO be loved, not by you only, bui
BY your children; n gift for one OF
your sons, hallowcd by Your labor and
service in it-a sacred gift.
But how should this house be built:
In warm climate like the South. with
a long. HOT summer season, house
must be built thin enough in its walls
to allow them to radiate during the
night the heat Of the day. otherwise
they would gradually accumulate the
heat OF summer, and September and
October would oc unbearable. For this
reason wood has been. and still is, the
best building material for the South
With tall ceilings and high pitched
roof 4 wooden house has always been
most comfortable for the South but
the kind OF wood our forefathers used.
the wood that lasts. is fast going, and
TO build for our childrens children we
must use some thing besides wood. In
this section of Virginia brick is best,
and should long continue in favor The
red brick house ITS our landscape.
Concrete, however in some mono
iithic form, Is to be the building ma
terial for the future homes of the
South. Durable. easy to work. plastic
enough to receive and yet In this ell
mate resistant enough to hold, any de-
tails OF architectural design that may be
given. il makes house that is thing
OF beauty, a joy forever. OF Il colur
suitable TO the landscape, making d
home cool in the summer and yet warm
enough in the winter, 1t will some day
become general, and any plasterer can
handle il. But build 1t always solid
'monolithic." ~
Here might also say that concrete
Is the coming material for general use
on the farm, in dairy barns. silos, pig
pens, fence posts. watering troughs.
etc, Such things as these, pnce prop
erly put In. are permanent assets, last
ing forever. and adding real value TO
the pincc Teach your boy to handle
concrete: a good concrete walk to the
barn may some day turn the scale.
Plan for Hotter Days.
Every young couple. in locating and
building house. should plan for bet
tor days; nothing is so sure to bring
success as having high ideals. Place
II on Its site. but plan 1t for an cX-
pcctcd expansion. so that you can en-
large without tearing down the old
cart. which you have learned to love,
: because you have laboreh In 1t. No
part of the house will ever be a dear
to YOU. or the boy either. as the old
pari where lie was born.
And here let me say to any young
couple starting out-don't build too
. much house or buy too much land.