Value of Earth- Closet Manure. 
187 
experiments on the powers of cultivated soils to retain the 
fertilizing elements of manure, Professor Wav showed that all 
soils possess, in a greater or less degree, the power not only to 
absorb ammonia, potash, phosphoric acid, and other manuring 
constituents, but likewise to decompose solutions of their com- 
pounds, and to retain all their more important fertilizing 
constituents. 
A practical application of the power of dry and sifted earth, 
especially if it partakes of the nature of clay, to absorb and 
retain ammonia and other fertilizing matters, has been made by 
the Rev. Henry Moule, Vicar of Fardington, Dorset, who has com- 
structed, under the protection of a patent, several forms of earth- 
closets, by which the supply, admixture, removal, and drying of 
the earth can be satisfactorily and economically performed. 
Mr. Moule has the merit of having given to the public a simple 
and ingeniously-contrived apparatus, which is capable of doing 
good service in many places ; more especially in sick rooms, 
public establishments, such as county prisons and unions, and 
country-houses where a good supply of water cannot be com- 
manded ; and credit is due to him for having pointed out the 
repeated action, and consequently the fitness for repeated use of 
the same earth. 
He showed that a comparatively small portion of dry and 
sifted earth (1^ pint) is sufficient, by covering the deposit, to 
arrest effluvium, and to prevent fermentation and the conse- 
quent generation of noxious gases ; and further, that if within 
a few days the mass which would be formed by the repeated 
layers of deposit be intimately mixed by a spade, or by a mixer 
made for the purpose, in a few minutes neither to the eye nor 
sense of smell is anything perceptible but so much earth. 
Ordinary garden surface-soil may be used in Moule's earth- 
closet, especially if it contains a good proportion of clay ; but 
if clay soil be scarce, an admixture of coal-ashes or street 
sweepings is not objectionable. There is thus no difficulty in 
procuring a supply of earthy matter. 
Many persons who have used earth-closets have publicly 
expressed great satisfaction as regards the efficiency of this 
system ; and it must be admitted that it is of great advantage, in 
a sanitarj' point of view, in the cases of sick rooms, detached 
houses, or villages, or even small country towns. 
Where the earth required for absorption can be readily 
procured in a dried and sifted state, and the land for the utiliza- 
tion of the compost is in close proximity, the earth-closet system 
recommends itself as a thoroughly efficient plan of disposing of 
human excreta and the utilization of their fertilizing constituents 
at the smallest expense, and in some cases even with economy. 
