1870. ] 
THE CHATSWORTH CONDUIT EDGING TILE. 
171 
Fig. 1 
from the heavens. This tile is the joint contrivance of Mr. Speed, the Duke of 
Devonshire’s talented gardener at Ohatsworth, and myself. Mr. Speed, on notic¬ 
ing after a storm that a quantity of water stood inconveniently upon a garden 
walk, and in a place where water was always scarce, thought, ‘'Why could not 
that water, and all the water that falls upon the walks, be stored in 
tanks underneath them, ready for use when wanted?” The notion was 
mentioned to me when I happened to call shortly afterwards, and the result is 
the tile now presented to the 
public, and of which fig. 1 shows 
a section and perspective view. 
The tile consists of two parts ; 
first, a flat-soled conduit with a 
slot along the upper side, into 
which the tile h fits, and which 
is held in its place by means of 
a little weak cement. At the time of fixing the tiles, a piece of thin zinc or tin is 
placed between the parts on the lower side until the cement becomes set, and 
through the chink thus formed, when the pieces are withdrawn, the water finds 
its way into the conduit, and thence to the tanks provided to receive it, or if not 
wanted passes away into the general drains of the garden. 
As will be seen by the section of the tank and walk (fig. 2), the latter covers 
the conduit completely, and if the walks are formed of superior materials, as all 
walks ought to be, it is clear that the greater part of the water which falls upon 
them must be carried into the tank A. The conduits 
are connected with the tanks, as shown at 0, while at d 
is a cast-iron pipe with a plug through which the 
feeding-hose of the garden-engine may be dropped to 
draw up the required supply of water. At B is shown 
the end of a common drain-pipe, through which, when 
the tanks are full, the w^aste water passes from the 
highest to the lowest point of the garden, and thence 
to the main drain. The advantage of this arrange¬ 
ment is, that if there is an extra supply of water from 
any outside source, it is only necessary to convey it to the tank at the highest 
2 Doint of the garden, and from it all the other tanks which may be connected: 
with this upper one will be filled. 
It is not necessary to dilate upon the importance of these arrangements. Toa 
many of us have felt during the present season the want of a copious supply of 
water ; and it may be safely averred there is no labour of the garden so liable to 
be scamped as that of watering, be it the washing of wall trees, or the soaking of 
their roots, when the water necessary for the purpose has to be carried or 
wheeled a considerable distance prior to use. Here, as will be seen by the 
I 2 
