1we are told that Water which is nitrous and
bitter, by throwing Barley-flower into it may
be ſo ſweetened, as to be fit to drink in two
Hours Time. But in order to refine the Wa
ter of your Drinking-ciſterns more effectually,
make a little Well cloſe to your Ciſtern encloſ
ed with its own proper Wall, and its Bottom a
ſmall matter lower than the Bottom of the Ciſ
tern. This Well on the Side next the Ciſtern
muſt have ſome ſmall Openings filled up either
with Spunge or with Pumice-ſtone, that the
Water which gets out of the Ciſtern into the
Well may be thoroughly ſtrained and leave all
its coarſe Mixture behind it. In the Territory
of Tarragona in Spain, is found a white Pu
mice-ſtone very full of ſmall Pores, through
which Water is preſently ſtrained to the great
eſt Clearneſs. It will alſo come out extreme
ly limpid if you fill up the Aperture, through
which the Water muſt paſs, with a Pot bored
full of Holes on every Side, and filled with
River-ſand, in order for the Water to make its
Way through this fine Strainer. At Bologna,
they have a ſoft ſandy Stone of a yellow Colour,
through which the Water diſtills Drop by
Drop till it is wonderfully refined. Some
make Bread of Sea-water; than which nothing
can be more unwholeſome. But yet thoſe
Strainers which we have mentioned are ſo ef
fectual that they will make even Sea-water
wholeſome and ſweet. Solinus ſays, that if
Sea-water is paſſed through a white Clay it
will become ſweet; and we find by Experience
that when it has been often ſtrained through
a fine Sand, it loſes its Saltneſs. If you ſink
an earthen Pot cloſe ſtopped, into the Sea, it
will be filled with freſh Water. Nor is it fo
reign to our Purpoſe what we are told, that
when the Water of the Nile is taken up into
any Veſſel proves foul, if you rub the Veſſel
juſt about the Edge of the Water with an Al
mond, it will preſently make it clear. When
your Conduit Pipes begin to be ſtopt with
Slime or Dirt, take a Gall-nut, or a Ball made
of the Bark of Cork, tied to a long thin Pack
thread. When the Current of the Water has
carried this Ball to the other End of the Pipe,
tie to the Pack-thread another ſtronger Cord
with a Wiſp of Broom faſtened to it, which
being drawn backwards and forwards in the
Pipe, will clear away the Dirt that ſtopt it up.
bitter, by throwing Barley-flower into it may
be ſo ſweetened, as to be fit to drink in two
Hours Time. But in order to refine the Wa
ter of your Drinking-ciſterns more effectually,
make a little Well cloſe to your Ciſtern encloſ
ed with its own proper Wall, and its Bottom a
ſmall matter lower than the Bottom of the Ciſ
tern. This Well on the Side next the Ciſtern
muſt have ſome ſmall Openings filled up either
with Spunge or with Pumice-ſtone, that the
Water which gets out of the Ciſtern into the
Well may be thoroughly ſtrained and leave all
its coarſe Mixture behind it. In the Territory
of Tarragona in Spain, is found a white Pu
mice-ſtone very full of ſmall Pores, through
which Water is preſently ſtrained to the great
eſt Clearneſs. It will alſo come out extreme
ly limpid if you fill up the Aperture, through
which the Water muſt paſs, with a Pot bored
full of Holes on every Side, and filled with
River-ſand, in order for the Water to make its
Way through this fine Strainer. At Bologna,
they have a ſoft ſandy Stone of a yellow Colour,
through which the Water diſtills Drop by
Drop till it is wonderfully refined. Some
make Bread of Sea-water; than which nothing
can be more unwholeſome. But yet thoſe
Strainers which we have mentioned are ſo ef
fectual that they will make even Sea-water
wholeſome and ſweet. Solinus ſays, that if
Sea-water is paſſed through a white Clay it
will become ſweet; and we find by Experience
that when it has been often ſtrained through
a fine Sand, it loſes its Saltneſs. If you ſink
an earthen Pot cloſe ſtopped, into the Sea, it
will be filled with freſh Water. Nor is it fo
reign to our Purpoſe what we are told, that
when the Water of the Nile is taken up into
any Veſſel proves foul, if you rub the Veſſel
juſt about the Edge of the Water with an Al
mond, it will preſently make it clear. When
your Conduit Pipes begin to be ſtopt with
Slime or Dirt, take a Gall-nut, or a Ball made
of the Bark of Cork, tied to a long thin Pack
thread. When the Current of the Water has
carried this Ball to the other End of the Pipe,
tie to the Pack-thread another ſtronger Cord
with a Wiſp of Broom faſtened to it, which
being drawn backwards and forwards in the
Pipe, will clear away the Dirt that ſtopt it up.
CHAP. IX.
Of planting a Vineyard in a Meadow, or a Wood in a Marſh; and how we
may amend a Region which is moleſted with too much Water.
may amend a Region which is moleſted with too much Water.
I now proceed to other Conveniencies. We
obſerved that Food and Rayment was to
provided for the Inhabitants. With theſe we
are to be ſupplied by Agriculture, an Art
which it is not our Buſineſs to treat of here.
Yet there are ſome Caſes wherein the Archi
tect may be of Service to the Husbandman:
As particularly when a Piece of Ground being
either too dry or too wet, is not in a good
Condition for Tillage. A Vineyard may be
planted in a moiſt Meadow in the following
Manner: Dig Trenches running from Eaſt to
Weſt in ſtraight Lines, at equal Diſtances from
each other, and as deep as may be, each nine
Foot broad and fifteen Foot diſtant from one
another, and throw up the Earth which you
dig out of the Trenches on the Intervals be
tween them, in ſuch a Manner, that the Slope
may lie open to the Mid-day Sun: and theſe lit
tle artificial Hills will be very proper for Vines
and very fruitful. On the contrary, upon a dry
Hill you may make a Meadow by the following
Method: Dig a long ſquare Trench in the
upper Part of the Hill, with its Sides all equally
high and exactly level. Into this Trench bring
Water from the next Springs above it, which
running over on the lower Side will equally and
continually water the Ground beneath. In the
Country of Verona, a Soil full of round Stones,
very naked and barren, the Inhabitants in ſome
Places, by continual watering it, have raiſed
very fine Graſs and ſo turned it into a beautiful
Meadow. If you deſire to have a Wood grow
in a Marſh, turn up the Ground with the
Plough, and entirely grub up all Brambles,
and then ſow it with Acorns about the Time
of Sun-riſe. This Plantation will grow up in
to a thick Wood, and the Trees will draw to
themſelves moſt of the ſuperfluous Moiſture:
And the ſpreading of the Roots together with
the falling of the Leaves and Sprigs, will raiſe
the Ground higher. Afterwards if you bring
obſerved that Food and Rayment was to
provided for the Inhabitants. With theſe we
are to be ſupplied by Agriculture, an Art
which it is not our Buſineſs to treat of here.
Yet there are ſome Caſes wherein the Archi
tect may be of Service to the Husbandman:
As particularly when a Piece of Ground being
either too dry or too wet, is not in a good
Condition for Tillage. A Vineyard may be
planted in a moiſt Meadow in the following
Manner: Dig Trenches running from Eaſt to
Weſt in ſtraight Lines, at equal Diſtances from
each other, and as deep as may be, each nine
Foot broad and fifteen Foot diſtant from one
another, and throw up the Earth which you
dig out of the Trenches on the Intervals be
tween them, in ſuch a Manner, that the Slope
may lie open to the Mid-day Sun: and theſe lit
tle artificial Hills will be very proper for Vines
and very fruitful. On the contrary, upon a dry
Hill you may make a Meadow by the following
Method: Dig a long ſquare Trench in the
upper Part of the Hill, with its Sides all equally
high and exactly level. Into this Trench bring
Water from the next Springs above it, which
running over on the lower Side will equally and
continually water the Ground beneath. In the
Country of Verona, a Soil full of round Stones,
very naked and barren, the Inhabitants in ſome
Places, by continual watering it, have raiſed
very fine Graſs and ſo turned it into a beautiful
Meadow. If you deſire to have a Wood grow
in a Marſh, turn up the Ground with the
Plough, and entirely grub up all Brambles,
and then ſow it with Acorns about the Time
of Sun-riſe. This Plantation will grow up in
to a thick Wood, and the Trees will draw to
themſelves moſt of the ſuperfluous Moiſture:
And the ſpreading of the Roots together with
the falling of the Leaves and Sprigs, will raiſe
the Ground higher. Afterwards if you bring
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