EXPERIMENT WITH NIGHT-SOIL. 197 



which looks well now. I shall have to report, of course, in 

 regard to that another year. 



But, sir, as has been said, this is a most important matter, 

 and one which affects all of us. We must have something to 

 enrich our land with, or else we have got to go by the board. 

 The question has been up the last year or two, whether farming 

 is profitable. I believe it is profitable if it is managed right, 

 It is the most pleasant occupation in which men engage, and 

 affords the surest means of livelihood ; and we want to have it 

 stand on the same basis with other business. No man thinks 

 of going to farming to make money, as times have been for 

 years back. I say we must have something to enrich our 

 land. Now, as I have understood from the professor here, 

 there was a guaranty from Mr. Bowker in regard to this 

 manure, that it should be up to such a standard ; and what 

 we want to know is, whether, when this manure is put upon 

 the market, it is what he has pledged himself to give us. 

 We have faith in this manure. We hope it is something that 

 is going to benefit Massachusetts ; but we want to be sure 

 that we get the pure thing. 



Mr. Slade of Somerset. I did not intend to say any thing 

 at this meeting, but came expressly to listen to what might 

 be said by others. I will acknowledge that I am a little 

 selfish in rising to ask a question which does not seem to be 

 fully solved, and that is in relation to night-soil. A great 

 many years ago, I used quite a quantity of it in a crude 

 state ; and the result was such as to discourage me from ever 

 using any more in that condition. A few years afterwards, 

 a manufacturing company in our place offered me quite a 

 quantity, which I refused to take. But they told me that it 

 was deodorized, that it was composted with lime, and they 

 would give it to me if I would remove it. I went and looked 

 at it, and found it could be done very easily. It had been 

 accumulating there I think for four years; and they had 

 taken the precaution to throw in lime, perhaps every day or 

 every week, so that it could be removed without any diffi- 

 culty at all. My man went and examined it and said, " Yes, 

 by all means take it." He took the team, and drew it home. 

 I think he had twenty-two ox-cart loads. There were some 

 hundred and fifty men there at the works, and this was in 

 a good state. He carted it home, as I say, and put it in a 



