e printers, they
were called _the "gods,"_ instead of _their gods_, answering to the ancient
_penates_.]

[Footnote 2: Vide Nicholas to the Commandant of Odessa.]

* * * * *

ARTESIAN WELLS.

(Vol. ix., p. 222.)

Your correspondent STYLITES is strongly advised not to set about making, or
rather endeavouring to make, a well of this description till he has been
well advised of the feasibility of the scheme in his particular locality.
The old adage will apply in this case, "Ex quovis ligno," &c. It is not
everywhere that an artesian well can be obtained with any depth of bore;
that is, a well which shall bring its water to or above the surface of the
ground. But if, on sufficient knowledge of the mineralogical structure of
the country, it be declared that a well of the true artesian sort cannot be
obtained, STYLITES should dig his well, say fifteen or twenty feet deep,
and "stein" it, and then bore in search of a spring, unless a sufficient
supply is already obtained from the surface drainage. A moderate outlay in
this way, unless the impervious stratum be of very great thickness indeed,
will generally bring up water, with a natural tendency to rise within reach
of a common pump, or of a well-bucket at the least.

But it may still happen that the water of the bore has not this natural
tendency. In that case the sinking of the well may be continued till the
water is reached, and a sufficient depth of reservoir obtained at the
bottom.

M. (2)

As practical answers to the inquiries of STYLITES on this subject, I have
to say, that common wells are preferable to artesian in all cases where
abundance of water is obtained at a depth not exceeding thirty feet. I need
not tell STYLITES that the common sucking-pump will not draw up water from
a depth exceeding thirty feet. The convenience of common wells is one
reason why artesian ones are not universally adopted; and a greater reason
is that artesian wells are very much more expensive to make than common
ones. When artesian wells are preferable to common ones is, when water
cannot be obtained at a depth beyond the reach of the force-pump. Two of my
friends have made artesian wells; one a mill-spinner at Dundee, at a time
when that town was very ill supplied with water. He sunk a well 150 feet in
depth and found no water. A bore was then made through trap rock for
upwards of 150 feet, and water was found in abundance on reaching the
underlyin