The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-08-11
r AKIN ANT n GU 5 Z.


The department Of agriculture has
made public the first of a series of
plans for farm houses to he prepared
by It's specialists with view to en-
abling farmers to construct inexpen-
sive and better homes. The basis of
the inquiry Is the belief that the farm
house Ia the most important building
on the farm and money judiciously ex-
pended In it's planning and construc-
ton is well invested. The objects
sought In the plans are to provide
structures reasonable in cost and of
good material, and so arranged as to
give the maximum in health, comfort
and happiness to the family and added
convenience to the housewife in her
domestic operations.
The plans made public are for the
construction of an inexpensive farm
tenant house, although the house as.
planned contains many valuable sug-
gestions for owners with small fami-
lies. The provision Of proper tenant
houses on farms 1t is believed is of
increasing importance to farm man
agement because Of the increasing
number of rented farms, the growing
demand of tenants for modern houses
and better understanding of the In
fluences of the home upon farm labor
and field efficiency. The census re-
port of 1910 shows an increase dur
ing the previous ten years of more
than $4,000 rented farms. Many OF
the new tenants moved INTO good
houses vacated by the owners, but
many others are living In buildings
wholly unsuited to their needs The
cost of these houses commonly fs IN
consistent with the value of the farms,
and the lack of improvements in them
too often is in striking contrast with
the outbuildings, farming machinery
and field equipment.
The important principles of plan
ming, applicable to all buildings, which
effect saving In construction and in
the performance of indoor work have
been carefully considered in these
plans. Endeavor has been made to
provide good lines and pleasing pro-
portions which are essentials to gem
uine beauty in all structures and are
the production of skillful designing
rather than of additional material and
labor.
Special emphasis has been put upon
providing a little home that will be
conducive to the health of the fam
lily, provide for it's social and domes-
tic needs and save unnecessary steps
and operations on the part Of the
housekeeper.
The architects studies seem to
make it clear that many homes in
towns as well as in the country could
have been greatly improved and at
the same time built at less expense if
they had been studiously planned to
meet the family needs, skillfully de-
signed and carefully constructed.
The Tenant House.
The tenant house, plans of which
are shown, is simple, four-cornel
structure, without bay windows, ga
bles and dormers, or any projection
save the cornice, which overhangs and
protects the walls and window open
ings. The house is planned for the
most inexpensive arrangement con
sistent with the needs and the conve
nience of small family. 1t has but
one chimney and but one outside eu.
trance.
The Single Door.
The home has but one entrance
which would be insufficient In town
house, and it may be in this one; but
another door can be gotten into the
plan only by sacrifice Of wall and
floor space, which cannot be spared
or by increasing the size and cost
of the house, which in connection with
this problem cannot be done. II a
door is substituted for one Of the
three windows In the south end of the
living room the best part of the room
will be ruined. Moving the entrance
door to the south side Of the porch
would not only restrict the uses of
the porch, but necessitate an outside
QOOk III bAC hltOhCig WAAOhg Al III III
would necessitate a corresponding In
crease in the floor and wall space of
the kitchen If the door that opens
from living room to porch were moved
farther from the fireplace valuable
floor and wall space in both room and
porch would be sacrificed.
These little details affect the size
of rooms and of the building and
therefore, the cost. They are some
times, and of necessity, influenced
more by economy than by conven.
fence; but by careful study they may
often be made consistent with both
1t is economical, for instance. to have
but one outside entrance to this house
With this entrance nearest the barns
and the entrance from the highway
and treated as 1t is with the simple
and inexpensive pergola and benches
which separate the lawn and the back
yard, it should serve every purpose