File:American homes and gardens (1905) (17528142884).jpg

Title: American homes and gardens
Identifier: americanhomesgar11905newy (find matches)
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors:
Subjects: Architecture, Domestic; Landscape gardening
Publisher: New York : Munn and Co
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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IS THE hot south wind smothers us and the glare of naked stone buildings and treeless asphalt streets blinds us many flee from the immediate discomforts of the busy city to the summer resort, seeking to avoid the odium of one type of civilization by enter- ing the civilization of another type scarcely less wearing on mind and body. But the wise few who heed the forest call steal back to the old forgotten nature homestead, there to coax back some of the strength and vigor that blessed the childhood days of mankind. Curious lodgings some of them find, mere brush lean-tos; primitive tents with saplings for ridge poles, and hemlock boughs for walls, or rough bark shelters in which the ridge pole supports rafters covered with strips of bark. Some campers bring their shelter with them in the shape of a sleeping bag, a light silk tent, or a large canvas-wall tent, but required being a sharp ax, a saw and a hunter's knife. First the site must be chosen on high ground; if possible, on a knoll where a good view may be had of some of the sur- rounding country. At any rate, the cabin must not be lo- cated near swampy or boggy ground. However, plenty of good, fresh water is absolutely essential, and before finally selecting the location of the cabin one should make sure that there is a spring or a clear stream close at hand. The site chosen, the underbrush should be cleared, and the plan of the cabin should be staked out. A large cabin would require a substantial foundation—a deep trench filled with stones or a row of poles sunk into the ground; but for the average ground-floor cabin it will be sufficient to sink posts at the corners to prevent settling. If the ground is fairly hard large stones may be used instead. The logs may now be cut. They should, of course, be as straight and as nearly uniform in diameter as possible. To be sure, the logs must
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A Canvas-Wall Tent among the Big Trees of California this savors too much of civilization, and is an insult to the resources of the forest. The true worshipper of nature will scorn to use any material in his home, whether temporary or permanent, that can not be hewn from the forest itself. Of course, when a man is off on a hunting expedition or a tour of exploration, he must be satisfied with the temporary shacks of brush or bark, hastily erected in the late after- noon, but the ideal abode in the forest is the log cabin. The log cabin is capable of as much variation in form and design as any modern cottage, but since it is the object of the forest lover to get away from all suggestion of town and city life, he will prefer the humble hut of the frontiersman to the twelve-room, two-story-and-attic log dwelling that in the Adirondacks goes by the name of camp. The building of a log cabin is a very simple task. An expert axman will probably construct it in a couple of days, and even a novice could do it in a short time, the only tools project beyond the corners of the cabin, and for this at least one foot should be allowed at each end of the building. It will make the log house more durable, though it would rob it of much of its charm to peel the bark from the logs. This can be readily done in the early summer months, and the bark can be flattened out and used later for roofing purposes. The bare logs are soon weathered to a soft gray tint which is not unpleasing to the eye, and which blends with the coloring of the surrounding forest. The chief objection to leaving the bark on the logs is that it offers a home for all breeds of ants and wood-boring insects. However, if, despite these objections, it is desired to keep the logs in their natural clothing of bark, it will be found preferable to build a cabin in the latter months of the summer, for then the bark will adhere better to the wood. First choose two of the largest logs and lay them at the front and the rear of the cabin. They should be flattened

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