For the small rustic tool house shown by Figs. 137 and 138 the materials used are what are known as " slabs "or " rough planks." These are cheap, and have, when judiciously handled, a good picturesque effect. These slabs are the outside slices cut from logs of rough timber. These slabs generally retain their bark (except in the case of oak), and in most districts they will commonly be of elm. Their thickness and outlines are necessarily irregular : one end will frequently be narrower than the other; and this will account for the arrangement seen in the walls and door of the tool house. They are to be bought at saw-mills, and often sold at a fire-wood price. Where their cost is not sensibly increased by carriage, no other material comes so cheaply for building rough sheds. The ordinary country way of using them is as in the horizontal section, Fig. 139. This plan, however, is not suitable for the present purpose. In so small a structure, rough planks on the inner side would take up too much space -It is, therefore, proposed to straighten the edges, either by sawing or by chopping with the axe, according to circumstances, and lining their inner sides with thin board. If the cost be not objected to, 1/2-in. match-boarding will be neatest for this purpose; if economy is an object, the boards of packing-boxes, bought from the grocer, might suffice. There are, it will be seen, three sides only to be lined.

Fig. 137. - End Elevation of Rustic Tool House.

Fig. 138. - Side Elevation of Rustic Tool House.

Among a lot of rough planks, it is likely that stuff may be found sufficient for the posts and other scantling. As to the six pilasters, which are added for appearance merely, it is possible that stuff might be found which would, when sawn to width, do for them; in the illustration they are supposed to be fir poles or elm saplings; four sticks only are needed to supply the six halves and four quarters used.

Fig. 139. - Common Method of Using Slabs.

At the corners are four main posts, 4 in. square (see a, Fig. 140). These enclose a space of 7 ft. by 5 ft. (outside measurement). They are let into the ground 2 ft., and rise 5 ft. 3 in. above the ground line.

On their tops, and coming flush with their outer edges, rest the wall-plates, which are 3 in. deep; these are needed at the back and sides only, and not at the front. On the same three sides will also be cross-rails, 2 in. to 3 in. thick, the ends of which will be let flush into the posts about a foot from the ground. To the wall-plates and these rails the slabs are nailed. In the side elevation, Fig. 138, the nails driven into the cross-rails appear, but not those driven into the wallplate, a piece of rough stuff being there shown as fixed over the latter to support the eaves of the thatch.

To the front are to be seen the two door-posts, b,b, Fig. 140, which are 2 ft. 8 in. apart, and should be about 3 in. square. As their tops are nailed to the front pair of rafters, they rise to a height of 6 ft. 6 in. The space between doorpost and corner-post is filled up by a single slab nailed to the two - 5 ft. 6 in. long by 10 in. broad.

Fig. 140. - Ground Plan of Rustic Tool House.

Above these, instead of a wall-plate, comes the piece of strong slab, shown in Fig. 1 as having an opening cut in it for the head of the door. This is nailed against the door-posts, rafters, etc.

The pilasters are only a matter of ornament. As drawn, they are of halved stuff; the corner ones are so placed that their middles come opposite to the corners of the posts, on the other faces of which pieces of quartered stuff are nailed to meet them. The simple arrangement of the caps of these pilasters, with their decorations of tir cones, is shown on a larger scale in Fig. 141. The horizontal piece beneath the eaves, nailed over the slabs, has the effect of resting on the caps. Beneath the thatch at front and back corresponding pieces are fixed, those at the front being ornamented with fir cones nailed upon them.

The roof is shown in the elevations as thatched. No other covering will look so well, or be so thoroughly in keeping with other parts. The nonprofessional builder finds it easy to prepare for thatch, any rough stuff serving as rafters and laths, and inequalities being of no account. The rafters for thatch should be arranged about 1 ft., the laths about 6 in. apart.

Should there, however, be reasons for not employing thatch, the building may be more quickly and easily, if not more cheaply, roofed with galvanised iron; only the gables will then best be made sharp instead of blunt, as at present.

Regarding the door, its outer slabs, which appear in Fig. 137, are simply nailed to three ledgers of the same. Being of such rough materials, it will open better if hung on hooks and thimbles than on butt hinges.

The dotted line at c, Fig. 140, marks the projection of a set of shelves, about five in number, which fill the whole of the left-hand side. Of these, the lower will be for flower-pots, the upper for lines, setting-pins, trowels, etc. At d is shown a strip of wood fixed across the floor to hold the wheel of the barrow from running back when that useful vehicle is tilted up against the end wall, which will be the place assigned for it. In the gable and upper part of this end will be hooks or pegs on which to hang the riddle, watering-cans, and such matters. At e is an upright let into the ground, which, at the height of 2 ft., supports rails running to side and back; these form a kind of stand for spades, forks, and tools of that description. Above, against the wall-plate, may be more hooks or pegs.