of plants, comprising three species, all of which are natives; but we shall only mention the reptans, or common bugle, which grows in woods and moist pastures, in many parts of Britain. It has creeping suckers, and bears blue, red, and white blossoms in May. Its roots are astringent, and strike a black colour with vitriol of iron.
BUILDING is the art of constructing and raising an edifice: in which sense it comprehends as well the expences, as the invention and execution of the design.
In the practice of this useful art, there are five particulars to be principally attended to: 1. Situation; 2. Contrivance, or design; 3. Strength and solidity; 4. Convenience and utiliy; and 5. Elegance. As our aim is not to impart elementary instructions in the art of building, we shall only sketch the most essential rules, by an attention to which, the reader may be enabled to discriminate between good and bad building, and to guard against many common errors.
In laying the foundation of a building, proper care should be taken to ascertain the nature of the soil, either by a crow or rammer; or, which is still better, with a miner's or well-digger's borer, in order to discover whether it is thoroughly sound, and fit to bear the weight that is to be laid upon it. If the foundation be not very loose, it may be improved by ramming in large stones.
With regard to situation, a dwelling-house ought never to be erected near marshes, fens, or a boggy soil, nor too close on the banks of a river, unless it stand on rising ground, at the north or west side of the bank.—See Country House and Farm House.
Contrivance, or design, is of the first importance in building, as a skilful architect will not only make the structure handsome and convenient, but often save great expences; which cannot be avoided when, by hasty and injudicious management, any future alterations become necessary. A model is the most certain way to prevent mistakes, and is superior to the best draughts. But, if the latter be adopted, they should be of the largest size, so that the delineation of all the chimneys, hearths, bed-places, stairs, and the latitude of all doors and windows, in each floor, may be distinctly represented: and if the workmanship be agreed upon by the bulk, it will be useful (for obviating differences and disputes) to insert the length and thickness of the ground plates, breast-summers, girders, trimmers, joists, raisings, and wall-plates; as, also the thickness of the walls, partitions, &c. In timber buildings, the several sizes of the ground-plates, interduces, breast-summers, beams, principal port-braces, quarters, window-posts, door-posts, cellar-beams, principal rafters, &c. should also be minutely ascertained.
Instead of expatiating, in this place, on the strength, utility, and elegance of buildings, it may not be improper to give an abstract of the principal acts of parliament, passed on this important subject; and afterwards compare the ancient method of building with modern improvements.—On re-building the city of London, after the great fire, in 1666, it was enacted, That in every foundation within
