The Penn's Grove record., 1883-11-17
homemade rnter,.

A simple filter IS made as fOllows
Procure an ordinary wooden pailand bore
a numOer of holes the size of a hve-cenl
piece all over the bottom. Next pre-.
pare a fine muslin bag, a little larger
than the bottom of the pail, and about
one inch in height. The bag is now
filled with clean, well-washed sand and
placed in the pail. Water is next
poured in, and the edges Of the bag
should be pressed against the sides of
the pail. We put such a filter to very
severe tests by mixing a dry n CO
lor in a gallon of water and, passing
through. the color was so fine as to be
an impalpable powder, rendering the
water deep chocolate color. On pour
ing this mixture on to tie filter pad
and collecting the water, it was found
free of all %coloring matter. This was a
very satisfactory test for such a simple
appliance, and | cannot too strongly
recommend it in cases where a more
complicated arrangement cannot be
substituted. The finest and cleanest
sand IS desirable. Sand purchased at
glass manufactures should be obtained.
The above described filter at its best
Is but a good strainer, and will arrest
the suspended particles. But IN "a mo-
dera filter more perfect work Is required,
and another effect produced, in order
that water containing Objectionable
matter in solution should be rendered
fit for drinking purposes. Many per-
sons when they see a water quite clear
seem to imagine that it must be in a
good state for drinking. They should
remember, however, that many sub
stances which entirely dissolve i'll water
do not diminish its clearness. Hence
a clear bright water may, despite its
clearness, be charged with a poison or
substances more or less injurious to
health; such, for instance, as soluble
animal matter.
70 make aperfect filter, which should
have the double action of arresting the
finest suspended matter and removing
the matters held in solution, and the
whole to cost but little and capable of
being made by any housewife, has been
the object of my study for many months,
and, after many experiments and test
ing various substances in my combina-
lions, l suggest the following plan,
which | find gives very perfect results,
and will cost a couple of dollars:
Purchase a common galvanized iron
pail, which costs fifty cents. Take it
to a tin shop and have a hole cut in the
centre of the bottom about the size of a
liye-cent piece, and direct them to sol
der around it a piece of tin about three
fourths OF an inch deep, to forma spout
to direct the flow of water downward
i'll a uniform direction. Obtain about
two quarts of small stones at a store
where material for roofing is sold; after
a good washing place about two inches
OF the seat bottom OF the pail to form
a drain.
On this place a partition of horse
hair cloth or Canton flannel cut TO size
of pail. On this place a layer of animal
charcoal, sold at the wholesale chemists
as bone-black at about ten cents
"a pound. Select this about the
size of gunpowder grains, and not
in powder. This layer should be three
or fou inches. Ascend partition hay-
ing been placed, add three inches of
sand, as clean and fine as possible.
Those within reach of glassmakers
SllOufu puICIldoS llt odllu Iilclo, dS IL ID
only with that quality of sand that the
best results can be obtained. On this
place another partition, and add more
line stones or shingle-say for two or
three inches. This serves as a weight
TO keep the upper partition i'll place.
Your litter is now complete, but not
ready for use. However careful you
may have been III washing the material,
a residue of dust will remain, and this
has to be gradually washed through.
For this purpose pass as much water as
possible through the filter during the
first day without using it'll The next
day it will be ready for use, and, If my
directions have been complied with,
Uttered water will always be at COM
mand, not only freed from all suspended
substances, but from color due to mat
ter held in solution having been re-
moved. l found that the yellowish co.
loI of Croton water, which is very ditfi-
cult to remove, was entirely absent IN
water passed through my filter. To
test this, water must be filled up in a
large white porcelain basin. In this
manner the color of Croton water is
plainly visible in contrast with the
white china.