CHAPTER XXVIII
The Colony Houses—There are Forty-one on the Farm

These Houses have a floor space 6 × 10 feet, are six feet high in front and five feet in the rear, with a shed roof. The frame work is built on three skids. The outside skids are made of 3 × 4 timbers, rounded at the ends to facilitate the ready sliding of the Houses when it becomes desirable to move them, and 12 feet in length, making a projection of a foot at either end beyond the sides of the House. Two by four studding is used for the center skid. The three skids are securely fastened together by four pieces of 2 × 4 studding. To this frame is nailed the floor, of inch, matched boards. The upright studs are made of 2 × 3’s. In the first Colony Houses we built, 2 × 4’s were used, but it was found there was an economy in using 2 × 3’s, and, as they answer every purpose, the frame being absolutely stiff, they were substituted for the 2 × 4’s, and they have been used ever since.

The frame work is covered by a cheap grade of matched flooring, the boards running perpendicularly. The roof is covered with cheap, twelve inch, rough boards, and over this is laid two ply roofing, this being carried over the front, back and sides three inches, well cemented and securely nailed down, then all the joints are again cemented, covering the nails thoroughly.

Cotton Duck Windows

The door, for the use of the attendant, is in the front of the House, being two feet wide and the full height of the inside of the building. On either side of the door, hanging by hinges from the plates, are two windows 45 × 27 inches. These are covered with a medium weight cotton duck, and open outward. A device which carries a long hook readily allows them to be fastened so as to practically form an awning, which materially assists in maintaining a cool condition inside the House during the Summer. Two doors for the use of the birds are placed on each side of the main door, and are fitted with slides. On the inside of the window openings one inch wire mesh is securely nailed, preventing the birds from flying out, and also keeping night prowlers from going in. Over the outside of the window frames also inch wire mesh is nailed. The main reason for this wiring of the outside is to prevent the birds, as they develop and fly up on top of the Colony House, from breaking through the canvas.

From the detailed drawings which will be found at the end of the Book, and the [photograph] of the Colony House, a very clear idea is given of its construction.

CHAPTER XXIX

Materials Required for Laying House

Bill of material for the construction of 60 feet, being three sections of the Corning Laying House.