Page 215

          A LARGE NORTHERN FARM-HOUSE.
                                         215
 the walls frequently suffer from the burrowing of
 ~rermin.  The remedy for this is to project a footing
 course on each side of the wall, to the width of four
 or six inches, and fill all the interstices with liquid
 mortar; animals attempting to burrow beneath a wall
 enter close alongside of the base, but they meet an
 impenetrable barrier in the projection above described.
 Such projections as these are very necessary in yield-
 ing ground, forming as they do a wider base for the
 support of the superincumbent wall, and distributing
 the weight over a greater amount of bearing surface.
  Sometimes, in building country houses, it happens
 that the proprietor of the land has timber of his own
 available for carpentry, that is, for joists, rafters,
 studding, etc.; indeed, in well-timbered regions, such
 as are found in parts of nearly all the States, a
man may build a very fine house without the impor-
tation of any portion of the wood, either for the
framing or joinery.  In connection with this fact, it
is proper to say that too much attention cannot be
given to seasoning all wood intended to enter into the
construction either of skeleton or finish of dwelling-
houses.  We have sometimes seen trees cut down,
sawed up, and the joists and scantling made from
them performing their office within the lapse of a sin-
gle week.  This is a very great error, and those who
commit it are only to be excused on the ground of
urgent necessity.  All timber should have a full year
to season in, after leaving the saw-mill; and in order
to insure the most thorough seasoning, all the advant-
ages of a free circulation of air should be given it,
by inserting cross-slats or "sticks" between the dif-
ferent layers of scantling or plank, after the well-