MOISTIWY SUMMARY. 77 



VI.— MONTHLY SUMMARY. 



Fee. 1, 1862. 

 Artesian Well— When the plan of the Garden was first 



settled, and ponds, basins, canals, cascade, and fonntains resolved 

 upon, the question still remained, ho^Y the vast amount of water 

 required for these purposes was to be supplied. It was a matter 

 which had been purposely left open. It was known that, at the 

 worst, it could be had for a certain price from a Water company ; 

 and, relying on this, the works were commenced. When these 

 became so far advanced that it \yas necessary to determine the 

 plan which should be adopted, — whether a large yearly rent should 

 be paid permanently for water, or whether it would not be more 

 economical to expend a larger sum at fii'st in sinking an Artesian 

 well, which would ever after give the necessary supply at a 

 comparatively trifling jearlj expenditure, — it was found that, 

 there could be no question as to which was the most expedient 

 course, 'if it were certain that the Artesian well could be sunk 

 for the sum at which it was estimated, that after it was 

 finished it would produce the requisite quantity of water, and 

 that the water so obtained would be suitable for the purposes 

 of the garden (for it is not the water from every Artesian well 

 that is so). The calculated payment to the Water company, 

 with all economy in the use of the water, would three times 

 exceed the most lavish use of the water gained from the 

 Artesian well. But the sinking of Artesian wells is proverbially 

 a lottery— some unexpected impediment may double or quadruple 

 the estimated expense; or, after boring until the funds have 

 been exhausted, the attempt has to be given up in despair ; or, 

 supposing the attempt to be successful, the supply of water 

 may be insufficient, or, under the constant demand, may gradually 

 become so ; or, yet again, supposing the water to be reached 

 and to be sufficient in quantity, its quality may be uusuited for 

 the purposes for which it is wanted, from its containing saline 

 or mineral ingredients. These risks seemed so formidable, that 

 the Council might perhaps have declined encountering them, had 

 not Messrs. Easton, Amos, & Sons, their hydraulic engineers, 



VOL. U. 



Q 



