. The exposure of a house, or the direction it fronts, and the relative location of its principal rooms, has much to do with the comfort of its inmates.

The greatest consideration is the admission of sunshine into every room, if possible, sometime during the day. In cities and towns where the streets run with the cardinal points of the compass, a northwest corner, the house fronting south, is the best location, next to which the west side of a street is preferable, as the principal rooms may then be located on the east and south exposures; and if some room must be located so that sunlight cannot enter, let it be the dinning-room, for while we want it as pleasant as possible, we live in it less time than any other. The kitchen also may be located on the cold side, as may the staircase and hall.

If the house should stand on the west side of street, on an inside lot, the principal rooms should be on the south side, if the house is on the east side, the exposure of the principal rooms should be on the south and west, and for sunshine this is really a better location than the foregoing, but it has the disadvantage of being exposed to the intense heat of the afternoon sun, which can in a measure be overcome by shade-trees placed not too close to the house.

If the house is built on the north side of the street, the house fronts south of course, and the principal rooms should open to the east, allowing the morning sun to pour its full rays into the rooms, just at the time of day when sunshine is enjoyable; and as the day passes the sun will sweep around and give the whole front and west side a bath, leaving the east rooms cool and shady in the afternoon. There are some disadvantages in locating a residence on the south side of a street, for the winds of winter have full play upon the parts where the principal rooms must be located; and yet this can be overcome by the use of double windows, and by building a vestibule entrance, or a storm door. While such houses may possibly be colder in winter they are more pleasant in summer.

All houses should have verandas on the sides exposed to the sun, if possible, and sleeping rooms so exposed, may be rendered cooler by keeping out the hot rays by means of awnings.

In the country, no obstacles are usually in the way to securing the best possible location for sunlight.

The best frontings are either south or east, and if the house should be set in some other way than with the cardinal points, there is no law by which the owner can be compelled to turn it around.

The rooms must be so located as to secure the sunlight to the best advantage, the style of the building and location of trees having, of course, much to do in determining what is best to do.

There is nothing, perhaps, that enhances the beauty of houses more than trees and shrubbery when there is room for them. Trees should not stand too near houses, nor should their branches ever overhang, as they not only damage the work and mar the beauty of outline, but they also cause a dampness to settle around and into the house, rendering it unhealthful. We think much of shade-trees, but would keep them at a respectful distance from the house; near enough to break the force of winter's winds, and shelter from summer's sun.