Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/82

 5S COTTAGE, FARM, AND VILLA ARCHITECTURE. 128. The Garden, containing about three fourt})s of an acre, is here shown surrounded by a hedge. This hedge might, in many cases, be formed of fruit-bearing slirubs, such as phims, apples, sloes, service or mountain ash, the berries of 92 which afford an excellent spirit ; or elders, the berries of ^^^ ^^^^^^ --^ which make a well-known wine. Whichever description of fruit-bearing plant is used, the branches must be pruned with a knife, and not clipped with shears ; because clipping, by producing an exuberance of weak, young shoots, pre- vents the plants from forming blossom buds. If it should be desirable to have a very formidable fence, the hedge might consist of two rows; the inner one of fruit-bearing plants, and the outer one of hawthorns or hollies. There is scarcely any situation, either on hills or by the sea-shore, in which the elder will not thrive, and its fruit is always valuable. The same may be said of the sloe, and the mountain ash, and service, in respect to all inland situ- ations. The mode of labouring and cropping the ground may be as follows : trench compartment i three spits deep, and plant with the cabbage tribe ; manure and dig k, and plant with potatoes ; trench / two spits deep, and sow with root crops, such as turnips, carrots, parsnips, onions, &c. ; manure and dig ?«, and crop with peas, beans, and kidney beans. According to this rotation, in the second year, i will be manured and dug only, and will be under potatoes ; k will be trenched two spits deep, and under root crops ; I will be manured, dug, and under leguminous plants ; and m will be trenched three spits deep, and under the cabbage tribe. Thus, a new stratum of soil will be brought up to the surface every other year : in the first year, what was the bottom becomes the top ; in the second, the top is turned over ; in the third, the middle becomes the top ; and, in the fourth, this middle is turned over. Manure is applied every second year. This is enough to give a general idea of how a garden ought to be laboured, manured, and cropped ; but more minute and accurate details will be found in our Cottage Manual; in Densons Peasant's Voice ; and in an excellent little work, by Mr. Charles Laurence, entitled Practical Directions for Cottage Gardens, ^-c. The smaller compartments may be cropped as follows: n, with gooseberries; o, with currants and raspberries ; p, with strawberries ; q, with asparagus ; r, with sea-kale ; s, with tart rhu- barb ; t, with Jerusalem artichokes ; and u, with perennial, or what is called Good Henry spinach (Chenopodium Bonus Henricus). The border which surrounds the garden may be devoted to the smaller crops, such as salads, herbs, &c. ; and to early crops, such as peas and potatoes. The space immediately surrounding the cottage should be ornamented with flowers and flowering shrubs. The trees at the corners of the compartments should be standard apples, pears, cherries, and plums. 129. Situation. It is evident that the main purpose of this building is effect ; and if placed, as shown, on a raised architectural platform, in the centre of a garden not over planted, it cannot fail to look well from every point of view. 130. General Estimate. Cubic contents, 14,568 feet, at 6d., £364 : is. ; at 4rf., £242 : I64'. ; and at 3d., £182 : 2s. 131. Expression. It can hardly be said that this edifice resembles a cottage dwelling; and, at all events, it is certainly not one of the humble class. There is an obvious desire for display ; and as this has produced a comfortable colonnade for the exercise of children, for hanging up Indian corn, tobacco, or seeds, and for drying clothes during rainy weather, it need not be much objected to. As far as respects style, the building is mixed ; but, as the mixture is agreeable, a whole of some merit is produced. Design XIV. — A Dwelling for a Man and his Wife, with One Servant and a grown-up Son or Daughter. 132. Accommodation. There is a kitchen, a ; a scullery and sink, b ; pantry, c ; closet, rf ; two bed-rooms, e and/; a closet, 5-; a water-closet for women, A; and a water-closet for men. i. These accommodations are surrounded by an uninterrupted arcade, for the sake of effect, and for air, exercise, and drying clothes during inclement weather. An arcade necessarily throws a much greater shadow on the windows than square pillars, or round columns ; but to compensate for this, it may be executed in brick-work, without the aid of lintels of stone or wood, or of cement.