THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



523 



OXFORD FARMERS' CLUB. 



MANURE WASTED AND LAND STARVED. 



Mr. Ci. H, Clauke saiJ tli.U he had gro,t pleasure in 

 complying with the reqaest made by the Secretary, in the 

 name of the O.Kford Farmers' Club, and he propofled to 

 bring before their notice a subject in which he felt a deep 

 interest. The subject might be termed " Manure Wasted 

 and Land Starved," and he regretted that the time allowed 

 him was so short that he could not put his views before 

 them in the shape of a paper. He was, however, full of the 

 subject, having recently returned from France, where he 

 liad been for the purpose of investigating how far they 

 made use of night-soil there. He proposed to speak of the 

 value of night-soil as a manure, the best method of col- 

 lecting it, removing it, and applying it to the land. His 

 mind had been brought to this subject in two ways; first, 

 by observing the way in which their streams and rivers were 

 polluted by being converted into flowing cesspools ; and 

 next, by the enormous amount of valuable manure lost to 

 the kingdom. After having made a sewer from his house 

 to a brook, he saw the error of it, and made a fresh cess- 

 pool, in order that his garden might have the benefit of its 

 contents. In 1858, he addressed a letter to the Royal Agri- 

 cultural Society, and suggested that they should consider 

 the subject under the following heads : 



Ist, The amount and value of the manure which is lost 

 to the agriculturist through the ill-construction of cess- 

 pools, and the difficulty of emptying them, 2ndly. The 

 amount and value of the manure which is lost to the agri- 

 culturist, by the modern plan of conducting the sewage into 

 streams and rivers. 3rdly. The effect of different kinds of 

 water on the health, growth, fattening, and length of life, 

 of cattle, -ithly. The effect of sewage, when introduced into 

 water, on the health, growth, fattening, and length of life, 

 of cattle. 



The following, amongst other prizes, might be offered : — 



1st. For essays treating of the above subjects generally. 

 2ndly. For the best mode of constructing cesspools, both for 

 privies, and as receptacles for sewage from drains, farm- 

 yards, &c., whether of separate houses or villages ; and for 

 intercepting the sewage passing through existing sewers. 

 3rdly, For the best contrivances for emptying cesspools and 

 ponds, as regards both liquid and solid matter, with a view 

 to its use for agricultural purposes. 4thly, For the best 

 method of disposing of the materials when emptied out, 

 whether in combination with other solid substances, or 

 otherwise. 5thly. For the best plan of collecting the sewage 

 of villages and towns, and of delivering the same to the 

 agriculturists on equitable terms, keeping in view the health, 

 convenience, and advantage of all parties ; and their mu- 

 tual co-operation, and their fait rateable contribution to- 

 wards the labours and expense of the operation. 



As that Society, however, had taken no noti'ie of the sub- 

 ject beyond acknowledging the receipt of his communica- 

 tion, he thought the time had arrived when an effort should 

 be made to call public attention to the matter. Accordingly 

 he published a p&mphlet, entitled '• Reform the Sewers and 

 Rescue the Rivers. Where shall we bathe ? what shall we 

 drink? or manure wasted and land starved." With these 

 introductory remarks he should at once proceed to deal 

 practically with these different heads, in order to show that 



ho had touched upon no one bond which was not praclical 

 and of groat importance. lu the City of Jlanchester there 

 were 00,000 houses, of which 51,000 were of the rent of £10 

 and under. The Coi-poration of Manchester cleansed the 

 privies of 30,000 of those houses. In order to put the in- 

 habitants in away of preserving the soil in the best manner, 

 they combined the ash pit with the privy, and this operated 

 in two days, for the ashes absorbed the moisture, and next 

 deodorised the soil. It was not taken in combination as 

 with the earth, but by superficial attraction ; tliere was no 

 combination of ashes with the ammonia and gas, but they 

 were attracted by the innumerable surfaces of the ashes. 

 The Corporation exported the whole of 30,000 privies; they 

 removed annually about 100,000 tons of night soil, for which 

 they charged Is.Od. a ton, exclusive of carriage. He (Mr. 

 Clarke) was anxioustofollow this manure to the farms where 

 it was used, and to make inquiries respectnig the results. 

 Accordingly he wrote to Mr. Wallworth, Superintendent of 

 the Scavenging Department at Manchester, to putjhim in 

 communication with the farmers who bought the manure, 

 and he received from him the following reply :— 



" Scavenginff Office, Police Yard, Clarence-street, 

 " Manchester, March 20, 18G0, 



" Dear Sir, — Yours of the 21st, accompanying your second 

 edition of the ' Reform of the Sewers,' came duly to hand. 

 Your inquiries appear to relate chiefly to the sale of the re- 

 fuse from our ash-pits. You will he aware that, in a large 

 city like Manchester, there is a considerable portion of the 

 contents unsaleable ; for instance, broken vessels, and such 

 like, from the houses; for we have not here, as in London, 

 rubbish-carts or dustmen to remove house-refuse; this is 

 carted to fill up old brick-fields. &c. ; but the fine ash and 

 night-soil are removed to our depots &d}oimng the Canal and 

 Railways, and sold, as you state, at Is. 6d, per ton without 

 the carriage, or from 2s. 6d. to 7s. per ton delivered ; the 

 Corporation do not hire or use any waggons except their 

 own, and have eighty running oa three lines — viz., the 

 Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire; the Lancashire 

 and Yorkshire, and the London and North- Western. The 

 sales are effected without difficultj', and the four months in 

 each year it is sent off as fast as it can be removed from the 

 pits ; but of course, during harvest operations, the farmers 

 cannot receive it, and it remains in the depots ; I do not 

 know of anything to prevent its sale to an unlimited extent, 

 except for the cost of carriage ; it is useful for almost every 

 description of crops, turnips, wheat, grass, potatoes, cabbage, 

 &c., and is often mixed with stable-yard manure by the 

 farmers previous to using. I believe its fertilizing properties 

 are equal, if not superior, to any artificial manure, and cer- 

 tainly its effect upon land is seen for years after. 



" I think it is not necessary to refer you to any farmer 

 particularly as to its value ; for there are none in Lancashire, 

 Cheshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, or Lincolnshire but 

 would gladly avail themselves of it if they could obtain it at 

 a reasonable cost; the difficulty has been to obtain cheap 

 rates by rail or other carriage. You ask me if I think any 

 improvement can be introduced in dealing with the subject ; 

 and I am frank to confess that, so far as this city is con- 

 cerned, I do not ; for if soil and ashes are allowed to mix in 

 the pit, and water excluded (except the urine), I cannot 

 imagine a cleaner mode of removal, or one less likely to in- 

 jure the health of the inhabitants, or the men engaged in 

 such duties. In first taking up this matter, the Corpora- 

 tion's exertions were directed to remove the soil ; having 

 accomplished that, their attention is now directed to the 

 best mode of cheaply getting it to their customers, the 



