48 BOARD OF AGRICULTUEE. 



been referred to, and these are in the hands of more than a 

 hundred distinct occupiers. 



The Paris commission absolutely affirm without equivoca- 

 tion that the Gennevilliers farms are conducted at a great 

 profit, inasmuch as the land where sewage was not applied 

 commanded only a rent value of from 90 to 120 francs, 

 whereas, adjacent irrigated lands w^ere rented at from 350 

 to 450 francs per hectare, and upon the recommendation of 

 this commission the city has lately purchased 2,500 acres to 

 extend the system of irrigation and enjoy the profit. 



The Edinburg farms, in use over 250 j^ears, have for a 

 long time been a source of profit to the city. Lord War- 

 wick, after paying the city of Leamington $2,250 per year 

 for deliv^ering 1,000,000 gallons per day at the highest point 

 of his farm, finds profit in the enterprise, according to his 

 own testimony, and for many years has enjoyed the reputa- 

 tion of managing one of the best-kept farms in the kingdom. 

 Year after year he captured the silver cup, until finally ruled 

 out from competition. Supt. Martin, of the Pullman farm, 

 writes me, that " last year the farm paid over six per cent, 

 on the money invested ($80,000), and this year he hopes to 

 do better." And I am happy to announce that the latest 

 information I have from the farm indicates that he has 

 realized his hopes. The presence of fish in the effluent 

 water of this farm is evidence of the efficacy of the epu- 

 ration. 



The soil does not clog where regular and systematic irriga-* 

 tion is emploj'ed. The thin skin of deposit, when dried, 

 shrinks, cracks and breaks up, the organic matter decays 

 and becomes food for vegetation, and thus the soil becomes 

 more light and porous, as is noticed after a rainfall. Buntz- 

 lau has irrigated with sewage fifteen hectares for two and a 

 half centuries without diminishing the permeability of the 

 land, or any other deleterious result. 



FAVORABLE SOILS. 



The most favorable soil for irrigation is a sandy loam 

 underlaid l)y coarse sand or gravel. This does not require 

 subsoil drainage. Other soils, containing a proportion of 

 clay, will absorb less liquid, but by underdraining will take 



