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.