Q. Information on the below-mentioned points is very much desired and will be thankfully appreciated. A client wishes, in altering a butler's pantry, to have the marble slab removed and wood substituted, because, as she says, the servants break the china. Reasons pro and con are wished. The client also wishes to have the butler's sink removed. In refitting, no means for washing the soiled dishes in a permanent sink are wanted (a movable pan will be used), but simply the faucets for water and an opening into the waste for emptying the pan and also, say, a pail of water; the idea being to prevent servants from washing the utensils in a permanent sink, it being difficult to keep same grease-clean. Can you suggest some appliance covering the requirements as to waste?

In the kitchen, the odors of cooking permeate the house, regardless of several closed doors. A hood over the range, leading to the kitchen-flue above, was suggested, but it was thought the draught of fire below would be affected. Is there any means of quickly and effectively leading away cooking fumes in a city-house kitchen, having range as ordinarily arranged?

If the reasons for using wood around butler's sink are predominant, is anything else required, besides oiling and Wheeler's filler, to prevent water and grease soaking into the wood surface?

A. Marble slabs are often complained of as borders for butler's sinks, on the ground of breakage of china. Some people use wood for borders, though it is more difficult to keep clean. If only a slop-sink is wanted, in which the dish-tub can be emptied, it is best to make it of earthenware, which is easily kept clean. The ordinary white-glazed ware is made in several forms suitable for the purpose. Of course, a ventilated trap must be applied at the waste, not a bell-trap at the strainer.

Planished or tinned copper is often used for butler's sinks, with wooden border or shelf. The tin soon wears off, leaving the copper bare, and the wood border is subject to warping and cracking, from its frequent soaking in warm water spattered upon it, and is, therefore, objected to as difficult to keep clean. In Philadelphia, pantry-sinks made of wood and lined with sheet German silver are used; they, of course, retain their color when worn, as they are of one metal.

To remove smells from the kitchen, a hood is desirable, but it should connect with an independent flue in the kitchen-chimney, but not with the smoke-flue, as the draught would be affected, as you suggest.