it is valuable in making a sketch to
put on it some of the measurements; and freehand sketches with
measurements marked on them have a value in giving absolute scale.

"The back of a photograph is a very convenient place on which to make
notes of the building itself, in regard to color, material, suggested
changes, etc., and will be very useful in recalling the building to
memory.

"Measuring buildings and drawing them out to scale is solid
architectural work, and nothing else can take its place. It gives a
realization of the actual size and appearance of things, and brings to
notice the stone-jointing, sections of mouldings, vaulting, roofing, and
construction in general. Measured work must be done very accurately, or
else the results have no more value than approximate measures on
sketches.

"The drawing should be made exactly as the building exists, without any
change or improvement, or else the drawing will lose a great deal of its
value as a basis for study. Many of Letarouilly's are nearly valueless
as data for study because he has improved on the original, and thus his
drawing does not represent the building as it actually exists.

"A good method of measuring buildings is to measure first the general
dimensions and block out the building on paper at a small scale, then
measure up windows, columns, etc., and set off full-size sections of all
the mouldings with a strip of thin lead, such as may be had at any
whole-sale lead store: only the thinnest sheet-lead will work, as the
thicker leads are too stiff to bend. The large final drawings can then
be made away from the building. It is important to draw out the building
completely at a small scale, however, as it is very annoying when making
the final drawing far away from the building to find that some important
dimension has been forgotten.

"The ordinary tape stretches so much in long dimensions that it is
inaccurate. It is best to get a tape with a metallic strip in it, and it
should be at least fifty feet long in order to take dimensions over all,
which is much more accurate than measuring with a short tape from point
to point.

"The metric system is very convenient, but it is better for American
students to use the English measure that they will have to use in
practice, and take the tape over with them, for it is difficult to find
them on the Continent. A sliding measuring-rod is nearly indispensable,
and it will be most convenient to carry if it folds u