830 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



temperature and tone, and too much care can not, therefore, be taken 

 in its proper sanitary arrangement. Above all, in new houses it is 

 important that the whole surface of the ground shall be covered with 

 concrete, and that proper damp courses shall be inserted in the walls 

 to keep down all damp, with air-bricks for ventilation under all wood 

 floors. The basements should be, in every sense, dry and sweet, and 

 all passage-floors made absolutely damp-proof, and the latter can best 

 be done by putting down Portland cement concrete six or eight 

 inches thick, finished off to a fair surface so as to form an even floor, 

 and not, as is so often done, with a thin layer or covering of finer 

 cement over the concrete bed, which, by-and-by, is sure to peel off 

 and leave a rugged and uneven surface. 



The scullery should, as a rule, form part of the kitchen, where the 

 kitchen is not used for servants' meals and sitting-room, and not be 

 shut off, or, if so, only by a low glass screen. It is merely a washing-up 

 place, and should be under the immediate supervision of the cook, and 

 not, as is so often the case, a small, dark, unpleasant, and ill-ventilated 

 hole, in which bad smells are supposed to be allowed. It should be as 

 fresh and as sweet as any other portion of the basement. 



Line the Avhole of the scullery walls and, as far as possible, those 

 of the kitchen also, with glazed tiles, so that there be no absorption 

 and retention of the smells which must necessarily accrue with the 

 ordinary work of this portion of the house ; bring in fresh air, pro- 

 vide means for extraction of foul, but do not make a pestilential 

 corner. 



I can not too strongly advocate the finishing of all the walls in a 

 basement, so far as the working portion of it, and the passages, are 

 concerned, with glazed tiles ; they are cleanly, absolutely non-absorb- 

 ent, reflect and give light, are easily washed, and tend to make the 

 house sweet and healthy. The pantries and larders should be so ar- 

 ranged that they have continued ingress of fresh air, and should in all 

 cases be lined with glazed tiles or bricks, so that the emanations from 

 the contents should not be absorbed in distempered walls. 



They can easily be made fresh by bringing in outside air, by means 

 of external gratings and tubes, and everything should be done to pro- 

 vide a constant draught and sweeping out of the foul air which is nat- 

 urally engendered by hanging game and uncooked meat. The shelves 

 should be of slate, or, better still, of polished marble, so as to be abso- 

 lutely non-absorbent and easily cleaned. 



As in all town-houses, where space is limited, a large portion of the 

 rear offices derive their light and air from the small inclosed areas at 

 the back, it is of the utmost importance that these areas should be 

 lined with glazed bi'icks, to keep them as light and as sweet as pos- 

 sible, and, as the air at the bottom is likely to become stagnant and 

 vitiated, a direct cui-rent should be insured up all these small light- 

 areas, by means of a large induct shaft built under the basement floor 



