37(5 
Utilisation of Waste Substances, and 
facts upon which figures may be based, proving that to avail 
ourselves of neglected sources of supply, and even of well-known 
yet generally unused sources, is not the expensive operation it 
appears to many to be. Possibly in more than one instance 
I might hereafter be able to show that the supply may be got 
under circumstances which will bring about a double advantage, 
with a single class of expenditure. 
Classification of sources of Water-supply. — I have not space 
to classify the different sources of water-supply, and the various 
qualities of the water obtained from them. Suffice it briefly to 
say that all potable waters — i.e. those fitted for the use of man and 
the domestic animals — come under one or other of three classes 
or divisions :— first, rain-water, shed directly from the heavens 
on various surfaces; second, rivulets, brooks, or open running- 
supplies ; and third, springs concealed, requiring to be tapped for 
use, or open and ready, are more or less easily to be availed 
of. Although the statement may be matter of surprise to some, 
it is nevertheless true that under all three classes, with their 
numerous sub-classes, are to be found instances of " neglected or 
overlooked sources of water-supply." And this, even in cases 
where one would think it is impossible to overlook them, or 
when under the pressure of most urgent want. So true is it, as 
Goethe has so well observed, that the eye only sees that which 
it brings with it the power to see. Hence it is true that the eye 
requires to be educated as well as the other faculties ; hence 
also the truth of the statement that of all the habits valuable to 
the farmer, the habit of observation is the chief. And this will 
find, if not a very wide, at least a most practically useful field 
in connection with water-supply. 
Tlie tico classes or kinds of Water. — Numerous as are the 
varieties of water obtainable from the three classes named, all 
come under one or other of two great divisions — hard and soft. 
It is beyond the scope of this paper to enter into any discussion 
of controverted points, or to give descriptions of the character- 
istics of waters differing from each other. Suffice it to say 
that of these two divisions, the opinion has hitherto been gene- 
rally held that soft water is the more valuable of the two. There 
is no view, however, taken of any point but what there are some 
ready to dispute its accuracy, and this of soft water is no excep- 
tion to this rule. Notwithstanding, however, the grave cha- 
racter of the charges — so to call them — brought against soft 
water, and the apparently irrefutable facts or evidence brought 
forward in support of them, I confess to resting content with 
this — that there has been, and is now, an almost universal con- 
sensus of opinion in favour of it. For washing and cooking 
purposes it beyond all dispute stands pre-eminently the first, 
