We frequently publish details of slightly dangerous but interesting demonstrations, along with an admonition to be careful. We encourage kids to carefully have fun with high voltages, dangerous chemicals, etc., and we are confident that they will act responsibly and safely.  But in this case, we take the unusual step of saying, in no uncertain terms:  Don’t do this.

A lot of things could go wrong.  There could be a kink in the tube, or the end could get blocked while your hapless assistant is down there for “several hours.”  And there is no description of how the assistant is supposed to get the hose out of the dirt and remove the cork, since it was cleverly concealed behind a little bit of dirt.

In addition, even if the poor guy can breathe, he’ll probably be crushed by the dirt you’re tossing on him.  In other words, the poor guy will die.  Don’t do it.

The illustration appeared ninety years ago this month in Science & Invention, January 1929.