forms, either square, oval,
or round; the latter I should prefer, as stronger, and less liable to
leak. These circular vats, to save expense, may be bound with wood
hoops instead of iron ones the splay to be given them as little as
possible barely sufficient to have the hoops tight, and the vessel
staunch. The bottoms of these vats should be elevated at least three
and a half, or four feet from the ground, and solidly bedded in clay,
earth, or sand; the clay, if convenient, to be preferred. As the earth
rises, at every five or six inches, around these vats, it should be
firmly pounded down and compressed, as in the case of tanners' vats;
and this mode of surrounding the vats with dry earth well pounded and
rammed is continued to the top; a stout, close, well-fitted cover of
two inch plank is then placed on each vat, with a hole sixteen inches
square, to let a man down occasionally; this hole should have a short
trunk of an inch and a half plank firmly nailed to its sides, and about
fourteen inches high; then a covering of earth, twelve inches deep,
should be placed all over the tops of these vats, and this earth well
rammed and compacted together; and when levelled off, covered with
composition or a floor of tiles. Each of the trap doors should have a
well-fitted, wooden cover on the top, with a ring of iron in the
centre; this cover should be made fire proof on the outside. The brick
wall in front of these vats need not, I apprehend, exceed fourteen
inches thick, if of brick, just sufficient to resist the force of
pressure from ramming the clay; vats thus placed, with their contents,
may be considered fire proof, and possessing as cool a temperature as
if placed fifteen feet under ground; joined to this, they will last six
times as long as those in cellars or vaults, although bound in iron, at
a considerable higher expense. Two ranges of these vats may be placed
in one house, leaving a sufficient space for a passage in the centre,
with a window at each end to light it. I have never before either heard
or read of this construction; but I have little hesitation in saying it
will in many cases be found preferable to the present mode of placing
vats--it being more convenient, cleanly, economical, and secure, and,
to all intents and purposes, as effectual in point of temperature as
those expensively placed deep under ground. Under the inside of the
head of these vats, and across the joints, should run a piece of
scantling si