, 1840-11-07
CISTERNS.

The value OF CISternS Tor ram water Is not
appreciated bv those who have not used
them, or who having tried them. have been
unfortunate IN their construction. For most
domestic purposes. ram water Is far superior
TO anv other; and where cIsrernS are pro
pcrly constructed. and secured against extcr-
nal agents, the water filtered will he found
the best of any for cooking or drinking
CIsterns as commonly made are too shallow
to keep water at Il suitable temperature for
drinking. but this is not an essential point in
other domestic uses. CisternS NAV also be
of great use for watering animals where 9th
er means are not at hand. and may lie made
of great use where wells cannot be obtained.
The average depth of water that falls in this
country may be set down at 40 inches; of
course common barns, or dwelling houses.
provided with proper conductors for the WI
ter, will furnish an ample supply Of water for
4 cistern of large capacity.
CisternS, as generally made in the country.
are defective; and probably not one in five
answers fully the purpose for which it was
designed. The grand object seems to be.
not to see how good they can be made. but
how cheap. The usual practice is, to exca-
vate a hole in the ground, some SIX feet deep.
and about as many in diameter. On The
earth sides of this pit, rough rs it must ne
c~essarily be. a coating of plaster made from
water proof lime and what is called sand. hut
in reality nothing more than lolm. is thinly
spread, and the whole covered with pink
The loan has the effect of preventing the
mortar from setting; the points of the earth
through the plaster covering so much rs to
allow water 10 penetrate through. and render
the water within hard, or admit the rain wa
ter TO escape. and the cistern is Condemned.
Sometimes ii is built up with a wall of small
stones, and on these mortar is spread; but in
such cases. unless ii is plastered over 4 Sc
cond time, the mortar sinks from the under
side of the stones, and the cistern of course
leaks. Bricks are liable to the same ohiec-
ton; but either stones or bricks will make a
good ~cistern, if the proper attention is paid
to placing them in the first place and pIas-
the right materials, and in the right manner,
a cistern will be as hard and as smooth as a
stone jar. and as ImperviouS to water.
In building c%Isterns, as in every thing else.
what is once rel done is twice done. SO far
as trouble, expense and utility are concerned.
Zoo much pans or care cannot be taken in
the selection of materials, as if well made. "A
clstern will last for centuries. The lime
should be good, whether common or wafer
proof is used, the sand clean, sIar, and
coarse, and the mortar should be mixed and
used without delay. Stinting the quantity is
very bad policy. as in all slch cases it will
be found, the thicker the wall the frmer il
will be.
What is termed "concre'e,'' is n mixture !
lime, sand and pebbles. in the follow ing +,
proportions: PuIverized stone lime. no, ,
Stacked, one bushel; clean sand one busheI; c
small stones, clean, zone larger than a pi.
yeon's egg, four bushels: the whole well mix
ed together dry; then wet so as to be like
worked over Il few times with 4 sLo 4,
eel, then quickly thrown into the place where
t is wanted, not to be disturbed afterwards "
proof lime ground would be the best. "
resh and ~caustic, but common lime prepared
IS above, will make in this way a wall solid
IS stone itself. In making ~cisterns of this
the wall is usually formed as much '
5 eight inches thick, and where it is large.
inches. The pit is first excavated
reference TO the quantity of water re- O
uired. and the deduction 10 be made for the