314 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



August, 1907 



of a variable period of time and suddenly discharge definite 

 quantities of water on the bed at regular Intervals. This 

 very simple apparatus, which is much less costly than those 

 described above, gives excellent results. The purification is 

 perfect and the output exceeds three cubic feet per square foot 

 per day. 



These biological methods have been applied in recent 

 years to factory waste as well as to sewage. In many cases, 

 however, substances that would prevent the bacterial action 

 must first be removed by a chemical process. 



From all the above it appears that the choice of a method 

 of purification should be influenced by the chemical com- 

 position of the water to be treated, its quantity and the 

 nature of the ground on which the purification is to be ef- 

 fected. On reviewing the merits and demerits of the various 

 systems It appears evident that chemical methods should be 

 reserved for factory wastes heavily charged with grease, 

 dyes or antiseptics. Irrigation of cultivated land with sewage 

 Is suitable only for cities near which very large tracts of 

 porous soil can be obtained cheaply, for the yield, by this 



method, is only about .01 cubic foot per square foot per day. 

 Intermittent filtration, which yields a maximum of .14 cubic 

 foot per square foot per day, should be reserved for cities 

 which have In their vicinity sandy plains unfit for cultivation. 

 When none of these three systems seems applicable, which 

 is very often the case, recourse must be had to biological 

 methods. If the volume of water to be purified is very great 

 and the available space is not very small preference should 

 be given to the intermittent or double contact system, which 

 works with great regularity and requires no machinery. It 

 does require, however, a fall of about eight feet from the 

 inlet of the septic fosses to the outlet of the second bacterial 

 bed. The yield is 1.6 cubic feet per square foot per day. 

 If the volume of water to be treated is not very great and 

 the site and height of fall are limited, one of the continuous 

 or percolating systems may be employed. The fall required 

 Is about six feet and the yield is about 3.3 cubic feet per 

 square foot per day. This system is especially desirable for 

 small towns and for barracks, schools, hospitals and other 

 public institutions. 



The Summer Home of E. C. Richardson, Esq. 



Concluded from page iOi 



tea-table of the same make, and Is brightened by pots of 

 flowering plants. It Is one of the most delightful spots in 

 the house. 



The garden below is an English formal one, inclosed by 

 a retaining wall of stone. It was laid out under the super- 

 \'IsIon of Ernest Bowditch. The central feature is a broad 

 reach of unbroken sward. Around this Is a bricked and 

 terraced walk, with a band of sward around Its outer edge, 

 outlined by a smooth row of dwarf box, for which border It 

 is interesting to know that no less than seven hundred and 

 twenty-five individual plants were required. A row of five 

 bay trees stands along the side of the walk, three others 

 trained to a pyramidal form are the sentinels of the op- 

 posite boundary. This garden Is semi-circular at the end. 

 In the curved portion the brick wall has been extended around 

 a small part of the sward, in the center of which stands a 

 small sun-dial surrounded by herbaceous plants. At either 

 end of the entrance to the garden and adjoining the house 

 are the flower beds, one of scarlet geraniums. The trellises 

 at the sides of the porch are co\ered with wistaria, honey- 

 suckle and other flowering vines. 



At the left one passes down stone steps to the rose garden, 

 which is laid out into formal beds. Most of these are bril- 

 liant with wealth of blossoms. At the end are golden glows, 

 marigolds, phlox, zinnias, and mignonette. The border 

 nearest to the wall Is occupied by a bed of Iris, while at each 

 side of the steps are white Lawson and yellow rambler 

 roses. At the farther end Is a trellised seat, over which vines 

 are being trained; already, though It is only the second year 

 of their growth, they are becoming luxurious. The Inner 

 garden of roses is inclosed by a trellised fence in green and 

 white, along the outside of which extends a long row of 

 hollyhocks, Dutchman's pipe and carmine pillar roses. The 

 rose beds at the left contain hybrid and perpetual roses 

 planted In five rows, each two shrubs being two feet apart. 

 The beds on the right contain also fifty-nine hybrid per- 

 petual rose shrubs In five rows and a number of sweetbrlar 

 roses. During the season of their blossoming the beauty and 

 fragrance of such a garden as this can be more easily 

 Imagined than described. Altogether the house and its 

 grounds deserve to be considered examples of graceful arch- 

 itecture and tasteful landscape gardening. 



