DESTRUCTION OF THE FAMOUS DRAGON-TREE OF TENERIFFE. 391 
The object of this Society is to reach, if possible, the guilty parties, especially the re¬ 
ceivers; and most liberal rewards will be given to those by whose information convictions 
may be obtained. The members also pledge themselves in no case to interfere with the 
prosecution of any offender, but to leave the matter entirely with the solicitor to the 
Society, C. 0. Humphreys, Esq. (Humphreys and Morgan), Giltspur Chambers, 119, 
Newgate Street, who will be glad to receive, in the fullest confidence, any information 
that persons are willing to offer. 
COUNTRY WELLS. 
TO THE EDITOR OF THE ‘TIMES.’ 
Sir,—The fearful epidemic now raging at the village of Terling, near Witham, in 
Essex, seems to have resulted mainly from well-water poisoned by sewage. By the 
latest accounts the fever has struck down 180 persons out of 900, the fatal cases being 
10. These figures should awaken in the mind of every country householder an interest 
in the situation and condition of his wells. The water supply of London and large 
provincial towns has received much attention, and commissioners are looking after our 
rivers as sources of potable water ; but wells, on which the majority of us depend for 
daily drink, have never obtained effective public notice, and, as a consequence, are still 
generally sunk where most liable to contamination, still often receive the contribution 
of sewers, etc., carelessly laid within a few feet or inches of the well wall. Every well 
is but a reservoir for rainfall, an underground cistern into which rain naturally drains 
after having run a longer or shorter journey through the ground ; how important, then, 
that it should be sunk where nothing but rain can enter, and where the soil in its vici¬ 
nity can be jealously guarded from intrusion of anything coming under the denomina¬ 
tion of sewage ! Yet what is the fact? A builder reflects that the time and labour of 
servants will be economized if the pump be placed within or close to the house, that 
waste of pipe will be avoided if the well be close to the pump ; under the pump-spout 
he must necessarily have a sink and drain, and down the drain will all sorts of refuse be 
thrown. Sooner or later the drain leaks, and fouling of the well follows. Let the pump, 
drain, and kitchen keep company by all means, but sink the well far from the house, 
far from any drain, cesspool, pigsty, or other possible source of pollution. Mineral 
matter dissolved from the soil is comparatively harmless ; animal and vegetable matter 
may be harmless, but may be poisonous, and must, therefore, be kept out by every pre¬ 
caution. Good soil is here our best friend, Nature’s own purifier, entirely destroying 
the substances last mentioned, if only allowed to have fair play ; but its power for good 
is limited, its power for harm terrible, when saturated by drainage from adjacent accu¬ 
mulations of filth. 
Polluted water does not generally betray its condition till possessed of a strong odour; 
earlier intimation may, however, be obtained by the following tests :—Half fill a common 
water-bottle, cover its mouth with the hand, violently shake for a minute, and quickly 
apply the nose. If nothing unpleasant is detected, tightly cork the bottle, set it aside 
in a warm place at about the temperature of one’s body for a couple or three days, and 
repeat the shaking, etc. Water of very bad quality may thus be recognized without 
the trouble and expense of analysis. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, John Attfield, 
Professor of Practical Chemistry to the Pharmaceutical Society. 17, Bloomsbury 
Square.— From the ‘ Times ’ of Saturday , January 18. 
DESTRUCTION OF THE FAMOUS DRAGON-TREE OF TENERIFFE. 
I beg a small space in your columns for a notice that, I think, will be of some interest 
to your readers, and to every lover of botany. I mean to speak of one of the kings of 
the vegetable kingdom—the acknowledged king itself of Monocotyledons. The large 
Draccena Draco at Orotava is no more ; a furious gale in autumn last has quite destroyed 
it, levelling to the ground in a few minutes that immense crown which had grown and 
