Cottage Repairs
Three cottages where roof-repairs had been carried out took my attention. The work had been done with cement. Slates are plentiful here—so plentiful that large slate slabs stand as gravestones in the churchyard. It is easy enough to replace roof-slates damaged by storm. The continual replacement, however, perforates the wood to which they are nailed. Time takes a hand too, and, between rot and the beetle, slates are often precariously held and supported. A simple patching may eventually involve stripping a great part of the roof and putting in new wood. The remedy is a practical one. The owner has the slates put on and nailed down as well as they can be ; then covers the whole roof with cement. This holds things in place and seals cracks. I imagine the cottages are warmer with this extra' insulation. It is noticeable that snow remains longer on tiled houses than on those with slates, the loss of heat being slower. The cemented roof is as thick as, if not thicker than, tile.
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