operties of earth. Dry earth is a good
deodorizer; 11/2 lb. of dry earth of good garden ground or clay will
deodorize such excretion. A larger quantity is required of sand or
gravel. If the earth after use is dried, it can be applied again, and
it is stated that the deodorizing powers of earth are not destroyed
until it has been used ten or twelve times. This system requires close
attention, or the dry earth closet will get out of order; as compared
with water closets, it is cheaper in first construction, and is not
liable to injury by frost; and it has this advantage over any form of
cesspit--that it necessitates the daily removal of refuse. The cost of
the dry earth system per 1,000 persons may be assumed as follows: Cost
of closet, say, L500; expense of ovens, carts, horses, etc., L250;
total capital, L750, at 6 per cent. L37 10_s._ interest. Wages of two
men and a boy per week, L1 12_s._; keep of horses, stables, etc., 18_s._;
fuel for drying earth, 1_s._ 6_d._ per ton dried daily, L1 10_s._; cost of
earth and repairs, etc., 14_s._; weekly expenses, L4 14_s._ Yearly
expenses, L247 (equal to 4_s._ 11_d._ per ton per annum); interest, L37
10_s._--total, L284 10_s._, against which should be put the value of the
manure. But the value of the manure is simply a question of carriage.
If the manure is highly concentrated, like guano, it can stand a high
carriage. If the manuring elements are diffused through a large bulk
of passive substances, the cost of the carriage of the extra, or
non-manuring, elements absorbs all profit. If a town, therefore, by
adding deodorants to the contents of pails produces a large quantity
of manure, containing much besides the actual manuring elements--such
as is generally the case with dry earth--as soon as the districts
immediately around have been fully supplied, a point is soon reached
at which it is impossible to continue to find purchasers. The dry
earth system is applicable to separate houses, or to institutions
where much attention can be given to it, but it is inapplicable to
large towns from the practical difficulties connected with procuring,
carting, and storing the dry earth.

With the idea that if the solid part of the excreta could be separated
from the liquid and kept comparatively dry the offensiveness would be
much diminished, and deodorization be unnecessary, a method for
getting rid of the liquid portion by what is termed the Goux system
has been in use at Halifax. This sys