Utilisation of Excrcmentitiotis Matter. 
113 
plotctl, within ten minutes, neither eye nor nose could perceive 
anything offensive. 
When about three cart-loads of sifted earth had been thus used 
for my family, which averaged 15 persons, and left under a shed, 
I found that the material first employed was sufficiently dried to 
be used again. This process of alternate mixing and drying was 
renewed five times, the earth still retaining its absorbent powers 
apparently unimpaired. Of the visitors taken to the spot none 
could guess the nature of the compost, though in some cases the 
heap which they visited in the afternoon had been turned over 
that same morning ; and more than this, I have submitted some 
compost to strong fire heat, when that which, unmixed with 
earth, would have been intolerable, in this mixed state emitted 
no offensive smell whatever. 
This experience induced me to exert myself to perfect the 
system, in which endeavour I have been seconded by Messrs. 
White and Co., of 45, High East Street, Dorchester, who have 
constructed, under the protection of a patent, several forms of 
earth closet, by which the supply, admixture, removal, and drying 
of the earth can be satisfactorily and economically performed. 
It is only in towns where the delivery, stowage, and removal 
of earth is attended with cost and difficulty, that any artificial 
aid for drying the compost would be desirable. On ])remises 
not cramped for space the atmosphere, especially with the aid of 
a glass roof to the shed, will act sufficiently fast. At all events, 
the artificial heat required may readily be applied to a chamber 
from any existing flue ; the recently patented vapour-Jed stove, 
or cottage range, by proper arrangement of its flue, would dry 
enough for several hundred people with about two pennyworth of 
fuel daily. It might be fearetl that in the drying much of the 
ammonia would be lost ; this, however, would hardly be the 
case, unless the heat employed exceeded 212° ; indeed, the 
manurial effects produced by this compost lead me to doubt 
whether there can be any loss. 
The apparatus to be used would of course vary with the posi- 
tion of the householder. For a cottager, the present vault in 
the cottage-garden should be filled up, and a square enclosure of 
brick or stone made under the seat, of the same dimensions as 
the seat itself. The bottom, which should be water-tight, is 
placed three or four inches below the level of the floor of the 
place. At the back of this inclosure there should be an opening, 
with a door resting on not more than six inches of solid work 
above the floor, for the removal of the earth when necessary. 
At the back should be a rough shed, capable of containing a 
cartload of earth, divided into two compartments, one on either 
side of the door ; the earth when used may be shifted backwards 
VOL. XXIV, I 
