1876.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
145 
class who do not expect to lay out in ready money 
on their whole house what would be the cost of the 
fixtures of a city kitchen of the first class. We 
give here a view of a portion of the interior of a 
kitchen by our correspondent, L. D. Snook, whose 
household conveniences have been frequently pre¬ 
sented in these columns. The sink E is of either 
wood or iron. If made of pine and well nailed to¬ 
gether, and its inside thoroughly impregnated with 
heated linseed oil, it will last a life-time. A conve¬ 
nient width is 2 feet 1 inches by 3 feet 6 inches 
long, and 4 inches high inside above the bottom 
board. An iron pump is placed in at the end near 
the wall, and connects with the cistern. The outlet 
or discharge pipe is at the opposite end near the 
window, the pipe may pass downward into the cel¬ 
lar and enter the drain through the cellar wall, or 
pass out of doors above ground, the water falling 
into a funnel-shaped box, at the mouth of the drain. 
Be certain that it is so arranged that no foul gases 
can enter the room through the outlet pipe. The 
closet P, provided with doors, is about 2i feet in 
hight, and as wide and long as the sink. Another 
closet, K, is about 4 inches higher than the top of 
the sink, of the same width, and about 4 feet in 
length. The china closet H, is about 15 inches 
shorter than the closet K, 6 inches narrower, and 
from 3i to 4 feet in hight, it is provided with two 
glass doors and two shelves inside upon which to 
place the glass, china, silver, and other choice table 
ware. Being close, these are kept from dust and 
flies. If more convenient, the greater portion of 
the dishes of every-day use may be also kept here. 
In closets P and K are kept the kettles, tinware, 
and the various cooking utensils. A wooden rack, 
P, is made from six hard-wood sticks 3 feet in 
length and an inch wide, and i inch thick, these are 
placed i of an inch apart; the ends are firmly at¬ 
tached to a small block, which is hinged to the 
small bracket shelf attached to the wall in the cor¬ 
ner near the window and just above the sink; 
upon this are placed the dishes to drain after being 
washed, and it may also be used for other purposes. 
When not in use it folds up against the wall and 
out of the way, as shown at A. This should be 
thoroughly oiled instead of painting it. A window 
opening into the pantry, 15 inches wide and 20 
inches high, is cut through the wall near the pump, 
and a bracketed shelf F, 15 inches square, is 
attached to the sill. W T heu dishes that belong to 
the pantry are washed and wiped at the sink, they 
are placed upon this shelf, ready to be set in their 
accustomed places in the pantry. For convenience 
the stove should be placed upon the side of the 
room occupied by the closets, or near where the 
table stands in the illustration. The water-pail can 
be set upon the top of closet K, near the sink, or 
kept in the pantry, as most convenient. 
-- -*>-©>-»»» - 
The Management of Lamps and Oil. 
The lady of a house in which we are sometimes a 
guest, was in great trouble with her lamps, of 
which she had three or four different styles for 
burning kerosene. One lamp after another, a short 
time ago, began to bum poorly ; new wicks were 
put in all around, but in a few hours they were as 
bad as before. Being taken into consultation, we 
suggested that she had a poor oil, but the oil was 
Pratt’s, and bought in the original packages, be¬ 
sides, there was the German students’ lamp, in 
which the same oil burned spleudidly. We became 
interested in the case, and made a careful diagnosis, 
as the physicians say. The oil was of a good kind, 
the wicks were new, the lamps, of different styles, 
each apparently perfect, and as good as ever ; while 
all the lamps but one had been gradually growing 
bad, and were now nearly useless, this burned 
as well as ever, and as well as any lamp need to 
oum. A minute’s thought given to the difference 
between the students’ lamp and the others, gave 
us the clue to the trouble. Asking for a glass jar, 
an empty fruit jar was brought, and all the oil 
from one of the delinquent lamps, with a previous 
shaking, was turned into it. The appearance of 
the oil in the jar was such as to call forth an excla¬ 
mation of surprise, and well it might, for it looked 
like muddy water. Here was the cause of all the 
trouble, an accumulation of dust and other impuri¬ 
ties. The lamps had been filled month after month 
without emptying; the wicks took up the clear 
oil, leaving the particles of dust behind ; the lamps 
being daily filled, this dirt gradually accumulated, 
until at last it was present in such quantities as to 
clog up the wick and so destroy their porosity 
that they could not take up enough oil to give a 
proper light. Clean oil and new wicks being sup¬ 
plied, the lamps gave as good a light as ever. 
“ But how did the students’ lamp help you to guess 
what was the matter?” we were asked. Because 
we saw that the wick was not in the main body of 
the oil, but was fed by a tube which we noticed 
started from the oil reservoir at some distance above 
the bottom, so that the impurities could settle, and 
not reach the wick. On emptying of the outer res¬ 
ervoir of this lamp, the oil was found to be as bad 
as in the others, but the particles of dust did not 
get to the wick. The quantity of dirt in the oil in¬ 
duced us to go a step farther, and inquire where the 
main supply of oil was kept; we found that the can 
was in an open shed, and not far from where the 
coal ashes were sifted ; the funnel used to fill the 
feeding cau was kept close by. Here we had the 
whole story, the funnel daily wet with oil, was 
where it could catch whatever dust might be float¬ 
ing in the air, with an extra supply when the coal 
was sifted. When the feeder was filled, the dust 
from the funnel was washed into it, and from thence 
it went into the lamps, where it accumulated with 
the results - we have stated. Of course this, the 
Fig. 1.— AN ARTISTS IDEA 01? AN AQUARIUM. 
main source of the trouble, was easily remedied by 
providing a proper place for the oil-can and funnel. 
The lady was delighted at finding so ready a way 
out of her troubles, and we relate the case in order 
that others may profit by the experience. As most 
of the lamps now in use are of some kind of metal, 
their contents cannot be seen, and it will be well 
to ascertain occasionally the condition of the oil 
within them. With the utmost care some foreign 
particles will find their way into the oil, and after a 
long time that in the lamp will be quite impure. If 
the oil emptied from the lamp is allowed to stand 
a few hours, all the dirt will settle to the bottom, 
and the clean portion may be carefully poured off 
for use. See that the oil vessels and funnel, if one 
is used, are kept away from the dust. 
1BBYS 4 (MIEHiS* ©mWMOT. 
Tlie Doctor’s Talks—-About an 
Aquarium. 
As I was looking over a German magazine, my eys 
was caught by a picture, which seemed to me so pretty 
that I thought it would please you—so here it is; the 
silhouette figures are very graceful, for the German artists 
excel iu that kind of drawing. At the outset some of 
you will wish to know what a “ silhouette” is; while 
the older boys and girls may perhaps recollect that a lit¬ 
tle over a year ago, when we had a comic picture of this 
kind, I told you that they were socalled because a French 
gentleman by the name of Silhouette, was in the last 
century famous for his skill in making these pictures. 
You see that they are all solid black, with no light and 
shade, as other engravings have, and the whole story of 
the picture must be told by its outlines. The figures are 
worth studying, for it is wonderful how much beauty of 
form and expression an artist can put into a mere black 
spot. But what is it that these figures are clustered 
about—the two quaint creatures below, and the two so 
much interested above ? Some will probably say “a globe 
of fishes,” and others “ an aquarium.” This part is not 
all in silhouette, as it would much puzzle any one, I 
think, to represent a glass globe with water, all in solid 
black. Well, this little silhouette, besides pleasing me 
by its beauty, reminded nre of a number of letters that 
have come to me during several months, asking me to 
tell about making and managing an aquarium; there 
are so many things to be talked about, that some have to 
wait. Now' we w'iil have our aquarium talk, and the first 
point to settle is 
WHAT IS AN AQUARIUM ? 
Very different answers would bo given by you; according 
to the different things so called that you 
have seen. One would say ”it is a large 
iron frame with glass sides, holding 
nearly a barrel of wateijwith fish in it.”— 
Another that “ it is a box with a marble 
or slate bottom and ends, holding water 
with plants in it ”—and still another, who 
had seen a wooden tank with glass sides, 
would so describe it. In the first place, 
the material, size, and shape of the affair, 
do not make an aquarium. A tank with 
fish only in it, or one with plants only in 
it, would not be, according to present 
notions, an aquarium. Many years ago 
any tank, or basin made in a greenhouse 
or garden, for growing water-plants, was 
called an aquarium, but the naturalist’s 
aquarium must have both plants and ani¬ 
mals growing in the water, and it must be 
so arranged that we can see what is going 
on inside. The name aquarium conies 
from the Latin aqua, water, the same 
word that aquatic comes from, and when 
a French lady arranged one to study living 
animals and plants, it was called at first 
aquavivarium, from the Latin vivus, alive, 
but the name was found to be too long, and the last part 
is now left off. Recollect that the plural of aquarium is 
aquaria, but it is very common to hear persons say “ that 
aquaria,” which is quite wrong. It is not likely that the 
boys and girls who wish to know something about aqua¬ 
ria, could go to the expense of several dollars for the 
large and showy ones, nor is it necessary. 
THE OBJECT OF AN AQUARIUM 
is, or should be, for their instruction and amusement, and 
a great deal of both can bo had from one which need cost 
but little. A clear glass jar, that will hold from half a 
gallon to a gallon of water, will answer for a boy’s or a 
girl’s aquarium; the form of the jar makes the things 
within it, unless they are close to the glass, look much 
larger than they really are, and for this reason the tanks 
with the flat sides are better. But those who really wish 
to learn what an aquarium has to teach, can find enough 
interest in one or two jars. May be after a while an older 
brother, or the father will manage to make one with flat 
sides, but to construct one of these, would be too difficult 
for a small youngster. In most houses there may be 
found some kind of ajar that will answer, and if not, to 
buy a plain straight jar, those with tin caps, such as hold 
candies and such things in the shops, (fig. 2), would not 
cost very much. A large bell-glass, such as confectioners 
use to put over cakes, placed bottom up upon a strong 
wooden stand or foot, (fig. 3), makes a nice aquarium. I 
have said that an aquarium proper must have living plants 
and animals in the water, but before we put our plants 
and animals in the jar or other tank, (as that which holds 
the water is usually called), let us consider 
HOW THE AQUARIUM WORKS. 
Nothing is more interesting about the aquarium, than the 
fact that when there are the proper number of plants and 
