Safety in the farmhouse depends first on good construction for protection
from damage by wind, fire, decay, and termites. Safety is promoted
also by planning to avoid hazards from low beams, steep or unguarded
stairways, or badly placed doors and windows. The working drawings for
the houses illustrated herein embody good practice in these matters. The
welfare and convenience of the occupants will be further permanently
safeguarded through rat-proof construction, which eliminates "rat
harbors", and denies easy entrance of the rodents to the building.
Additional safety may be secured at slight cost by following the
recommendations in Farmers' Bulletins 1590, Fire Protective Construction
on the Farm; 1638, Rat Proofing Buildings and Premises; and 1649,
Construction of Chimneys and Fireplaces; Leaflet 87, Wind-Resistant
Construction for Farm Buildings, and Leaflet 101, Injury to Buildings by
Termites.