Research Items

Abstract

THE FINNISH HOUSE.—Some interesting details of the plan and methods of construction of the traditional type of habitation in Finland are given by Mr. Donald Smith in Part 4 of Observation. These houses were constructed to contain several genera tions, and the communities were self-contained, the men being hunters, fishers, graziers, farmers, and artificers, lacking only a forge; while the women performed the operations of grinding, baking, brewing, spinning, etc. They grew their own tobacco. The first portion of the house to be erected was always the bathroom of round unshaped logs-of the “steam-bath” type, with a stove of rough blocks of granite. Then followed a vestibule used as a store-room and dairy connecting the bath-house with the living-room or house proper. This was roughly square with a seat fixed to the wall running round two sides, and an oven of clay and granite blocks in the right-hand corner. Smoke was emitted by the door or slits in the wall, but sometimes' a hollow tree-trunk served as a chimney, its lower end being closed by a slide which was opened at intervals. A trough was pro vided to give the horses warm meals in winter, for which purpose they were brought in from the stables. The upper end of the room was divided into the man's corner and woman's corner, each pursuing - their occupations on their respective side of the line, the woman alone crossing the line rarely as her duties required,