Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-09-26
Management of Farm Privies.

The modern improvements" attached
to city residences have solved, as | sup
pose, the perplexing question Of the man
agement cf priyicS in cites, at least IN
connection with private dwellings. As
IN the hotels, the ease is less satisfactory
., il is hard to find one where in spite OF
running water, glass tubes and various
other convenienceS, the orders are not well
nigh uncomfortable. How they should be
managed is an open question, at least with
out some system which does not compre-
heud frequent if not daily cleaning. But
priyies for the use of farmers families
are no more difficult to manage than far
mers' kitchens, and if they are not kept
as clean and inodorous, the owner is HIM
self to blame, and his reputation for
cleanliness should 60 Just as low as If he
maintained filthy kitchen.
The vault is an abomination and should
no longer be tolerated. The patent and
costly earth closets are well enough for
those who can afford to buy them, but the
economical farmer can do much better.
Instead of the vault under the privy,
deeply dug and walled up, place water
tight rectangular box, long enough to &C.
cupy the space under the seat, and small
ana shallow enough that when nearly full
one man can get it out, either by main
strength or by the aid Of crow bar or
lever. In the pTivy place box, keg or
half barrel tub filled with some dry sub
staces-muck, Sawdust, road dust, earth,
coal ashes, plaster or even sand-and each
time when the privy is used, throw small
shovelful of the absorbent into the box
and that will etfectually put an end to the
Odors.
When the box or movable vault is full
have it shoveled out which will not then
be avery offensive work. and wheeled or
earted off TO the farm compost heap, or
put directly upon the land. The man
who objects to such an arrangement on
the plea Of mo time to attend to il" is
not much Of man, as regards cleanliness.
He might at well object to cleaning his
stable for the same reason. He obtains
a valuable fertilizer by it, and in addition
secures his family against the danger Of
fever. which neglected vaults often breed
upon the premises. There is no sickening
stencil to pollute the air for many rods
around, and for this reason the privy may
be safely placed nearer the house than
when a vault is used, though it should
always be far enough away and so located
that it Is not prominent object in the
landscape. TO accommodate sick or feeble
members of the family, particularly at
plight or in stormy weather, water closet
conducted somewhat on this system and
cleansed daily, may be connected with the
house, though except for such uses there
can be no occasion for it on farmers
premises.
1t might be supposed that 4 vault treat
ed regularly with one of the deodorizers
mentioned above might be kept from be-
IN offensive through a series of years,
but this is hardly possible, especially in
hot weather. There is always corrup-
tion in such mass flies are attracted,
magcots breed, and odors can only can be
dept down by frequent cleansing out and
starting anew. \ box holding from one
TO two barrow loads necessitates frequent
attention, and something which insures at
tention is what is wanted Aman might
as well complain, benause his clothe,
must be washed weekly, or for want OF
time to keep his face ceau,as to complain
that his privy must be cleaned out once
in two or three weeks Correspondent
Country Gentleman.