ut the project.

First we set to work to make the spring more attractive. We cleared up
the site and formed a granite basin for the water, sheltered by a little
kiosk with seats where visitors could sit as they drank. We also cleared
up the slope round it and set out borders of young pine and
balm-of-Gilead trees.

We sent samples of the water in bottles and kegs to dealers in spring
waters, along with a descriptive circular--which Addison composed--and
the statement of analysis. Addison embellished the circular with several
pictures of the spring and its surroundings, and cited medical opinions
on the value of pure waters of this class. We also invited our neighbors
and fellow townsmen to come and drink at our spring.

Very soon orders began to come in. The name itself, the Rose-Quartz
Spring, was fortunate, for it conveyed a suggestion of crystal purity;
that with the analysis induced numbers of people in the great cities,
especially in Chicago, to try it.

Less was known in 1868 than now of the precautions that it is necessary
to take in sending spring water to distant places, in order to insure
its keeping pure. Little was known of microbes or antisepsis.

The old Squire and Addison decided that they would have to send the
water to their customers in kegs of various sizes and in barrels; but as
kegs made of oak staves, or of spruce, would impart a woody taste to the
water, they hit upon the expedient of making the staves of sugar-maple
wood. The old Squire had a great quantity of staves sawed at his
hardwood flooring mill, and at the cooper shop had them made into kegs
and barrels of all sizes from five gallons' capacity up to fifty
gallons'. After the kegs were set up we filled them with water and
allowed them to soak for a week to take out all taste of the wood before
we filled them from the spring and sent them away.

We believed that that precaution was sufficient, but now it is known
that spring water can be kept safe only by putting it in glass bottles
and glass carboys. No water will keep sweet in barrels for any great
length of time, particularly when exported to hot climates.

The spring was nearly a mile from the farmhouse; and at a little
distance below it we built a shed and set up a large kettle for boiling
water to scald out the kegs and barrels that came back from customers
and dealers to be refilled. We were careful not only to rinse them but
also to soak them before we cleaned them with scald