ll improve their sanitary condition or dignify their daily
lives.

The Rev. Henry Moule, of Fordington Vicarage, Dorsetshire, England, was
one of the first to turn his attention to this matter. With the
threefold object of improving the sanitary condition of his people,
refining their habits, and enriching their gardens, he invented what he
called the "dry earth closet."

"It is based on the power of clay and the decomposed organic matter
found in the soil to absorb and retain all offensive odors and all
fertilizing matters; and it consists, essentially, of a mechanical
contrivance (attached to the ordinary seat) for measuring out and
discharging into the vault or pan below a sufficient quantity of sifted
dry earth to entirely cover the solid ordure and to absorb the urine.

"The discharge of earth is effected by an ordinary pull-up, similar to
that used in the water closet, or (in the self-acting apparatus) by the
rising of the seat when the weight of the person is removed.

"The vault or pan under the seat is so arranged that the accumulation
can be removed at pleasure.

"From the moment when the earth is discharged and the evacuation
covered, all offensive exhalation entirely ceases. Under certain
circumstances there may be, at times, a slight odor as of guano mixed
with earth, but this is so trifling and so local that a commode arranged
on this plan may, without the least annoyance, be kept in use in any
room."

The "dry earth closet" of the philanthropic clergyman was found to work
well, and was acceptable to his parishioners. One reason why it was so
was because dry earth was ready to hand, or could be easily procured in
a country district where labor was cheap. But where labor was dear and
dry earth scarce, those who had to pay for the carting of the earth and
the removal of the deodorized increment found it both expensive and
troublesome.

But a modification of this dry earth closet, the joint contrivance of an
English church clergyman and his brother, "the doctor," residents of a
Canadian country town, who had heard of Moule's invention, is a good
substitute, and is within the reach of all. This will be briefly
described.

The vault was dug as for an ordinary closet, about fifteen feet deep,
and a rough wooden shell fitted in. About four feet below the surface of
this wooden shell a stout wide ledge was firmly fastened all around.
Upon this ledge a substantially made wooden box was placed, just as we