134 TOWN SEWAGE, AND ITS 



which consisted of two large reservoirs, are now used as settling 

 ponds, and the sewage flows away by gravitation in a sewer, a 

 distance of four miles, to the lands which were purchased for 

 receivinsf it. 



The corporation bought a farm of 327 acres in the parish of 

 Ecton, in the valley of Nene, and although part of the land is sub- 

 ject to flooding, no better spot could have been selected for the 

 purpose. One hundred and fifty pounds an acre was paid for the 

 land, besides the costs of a compulsory purchase. One thousand 

 acres were asked for and granted, but not taken up, owing to the 

 high price. The soil is a sandy loam of some depth, resting on an 

 undulating clay, and a large part has been drained three chains 

 apart, and mostly 6 feet deep. Thirty acres are subject to 

 flooding by the river, as well as a meadow of 22 acres. At the 

 outset, when the work was begun, the land was very much out 

 of order and full of weeds, which involved a considerable outlay 

 in paring and burning thci foul turf. In this work, and in 

 reclaiming, levelling, draining, and in constructing the carriers, 

 hydrants, and [sluices, £16 per acre were expended. A brick 

 culvert is laid down on the high side of the farm, which is 

 connected with earthenware pipe carriers, from which open 

 carriers and earth ruts are employed for the distribution of the 

 liquid over the surface. 



It is estimated that three millions of gallons of sewage flow 

 out to the farm every day, and more than 50,000 inhabitants 

 contribute to it. (Within the parliamentary boundary there 

 were 44,871 inhabitants in 1871, and in 1881 there were 56,551.) 

 Were this quantity of sewage distributed equally over the laud, 

 a simple calculation would show the great depth of liquid which 

 is poured over the land in a year. The distribution, however, 

 varies with the crops. Eye-grass and mangels take almost any 

 amount, but none can be applied to the corn crops during the 

 growing season. The root crops are grown on the ridge system, 

 or in drills of ample breadth, which gives space for the flow of 

 the liquid, and the horse-hoe or grubber can be worked earlier 

 and with more freedom than in flat cultivation. 



This farm can be all irrigated with the exception of about 20 

 acres, and as will be seen by the table of croj^ping, 23 acres are 

 under osiers, which receive dressings of sewage continually, 

 except in the month of April. This croj) requires careful 

 management, and the price varies much. White peeled may be 

 quoted at £15 per ton, buffed £21, and brown £3, 10s. The 

 whole of the corn crops were good, too good, for there were 

 portions laid, and the quality was in consequence much imj)aired. 

 Mr Goosey, the farm manager, estimated the wheat at 6 quarters an 

 acre, the barley at 8 quarters, oats at 9, and the beans at 5 quarters. 

 The rye-grass was sold at 20s. per ton in April and May, and dur- 



