The walls are of larch poles sawn in half. To split a number of heavy poles with the handsaw is tedious work, and it is better to get them run through by the nearest steam saw. The quantity of half-stuff required may be easily calculated; one of these sides will take about five and a half 6-ft. lengths of 4-in. stuff. The tops of these wall-pieces are sawn obliquely to fit against the round wall-plates to which they are nailed. In their lower parts they are nailed to the lower cross-pieces, G, G, G, [Fig. 174].
These latter will best be made of rather large stuff quartered, since their upper sides on which the seat-boards rest should be level, as well as their backs, which go against the wall-pieces. The middle cross-pieces are of smaller half-stuff, and should be nailed to the wall-pieces rather than that the wall-pieces should be nailed to them; for they are in a conspicuous place, and nails driven through them and clenched would be unsightly.
The front supports of the seats are let into the ground some 6 in., and rise 14½ in. above the ground line. The seats should be cut from 1-in. board, and should be about 16½ in. wide.
In the two window sides of the octagon (see [Figs. 177] and [172]), the space below the windows is filled with whole poles, their bottoms resting on a sill let in level with the ground, and their tops nailed into through a cross-piece of half-stuff (K, [Fig. 177]). The mullions and transoms of the windows—mere sticks—are of small straight larch stuff, but the ornamental filling in above is of crooked branches—oak bangles by preference, though apple-wood would do very well. It often happens that an old apple-tree is cut down, and at once condemned as firewood; yet its stem may have grotesque knots, and its branches picturesque contortions which would make it valuable for rustic work. Whenever rustic building is contemplated, it is well that such wood should be laid by; a single tree would supply all the small quantity of crooked stuff that is required in the present instance. Even the interlaced stems of ivy, when an old growth has covered a wall, have sometimes been utilised to excellent effect.
Fig. 177.—Window Side of Octagonal Summer-house.
It may be observed that any chinks between the pieces beneath the windows, as well as in the walls generally, are most readily and appropriately rendered wind-proof by neatly stuffing with moss. [Fig. 177] gives a full front elevation of one of the window sides (they being only seen obliquely in [Fig. 172]), and it is on the ½-in. scale.
Four stout crooked pieces are used as struts to support the table (drawn to 1 in. scale in [Figs. 178] and [179]); 3/4-in. board will suffice for the top of this table, and it will probably be cut from two widths. To give proper strength to the ornamental border (seen in [Fig. 179]), a second thickness of the board is attached below each corner, extending 3 or 4 in. to each side, so as to allow each of the longer bits of split rod to be fixed, as shown, with two brads.
A really satisfactory material in which to finish the top of a rustic table is not easily found; it must give a level surface, and at the same time be in harmony with its surroundings. Board, planed or painted, oilcloth, or any manufactured material, is felt to be out of place; marble or slate looks cold and hard. Nothing that is absolutely level satisfies the requirements; the best alternative is rustic mosaic. By this is meant split rods of wood so bradded down as to form patterns. For the present purpose, however, the mosaic must be kept more neat and smooth than usual. Fig. 178 shows the top of the table thus treated.