Q. Will you have the kindness to give me your opinion as to the best manner of remedying the following? A party has a cistern under his house. A brick floor and the foundation-walls cemented forms this cistern; the joist and floor of same forms the cover or top. The cistern not being arched with bricks, at times there is an offensive odor of decayed mud coming up through the manhole. Now, the owner wishes to abolish this cistern. It was suggested to fill it up with earth. Would it be prudent to do so, or would it be better to thoroughly dry this cistern and whitewash the walls, etc.? If you can suggest any better way you will greatly oblige.

A. It will be best to fill the cistern with clean, dry earth, since if it is left empty there will always be a certain element of danger connected with it, unless it is used for some purpose, and its presence thus kept constantly in mind. If it is left empty, means should be provided for its ventilation in the form of two tubes, one opening into it near the top, the other near the bottom, and both communicating with the external air.

Care must be taken that the earth used for filling does not contain organic matter; a mixture of equal parts of clean sand or gravel and clean clay is better than either alone would be. If the level of the subsoil water in the vicinity is below that of the bottom of the cistern, the cement bottom should be broken up before the cistern is filled, in order that the earth within and without may communicate freely.

Q. I am building a cistern under my house to contain rain-water which will be used for drinking, etc. I wish to put in a terra-cotta pipe through the top to the bottom of the cistern in order to deposit the fresh water at the bottom. Would the terra-cotta pipe be in any way injurious to the water?

A. Terra-cotta pipe will not injure the water for drinking purposes but it is highly unadvisable to place a cistern under a dwelling-house since by doing so one runs a triple risk - viz., of injuring the house by dampness; of injuring the health of the inmates of the house, especially if any of them have a tendency, however slight, to lung disease; and lastly, of injuring the water by placing it where it can absorb the organic and ammoniacal exhalations connected with the presence of animal life.