Archimedes Texts

226
we 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.

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.

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