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THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



nitrogen per acre as the maximum for one crop of grass. It 

 is possible, however, that if the excess of guano had been ap- 

 plied at different intervals, and in a liquid form, it might have 

 had a different effect. And with regard to its application to 

 cereal crops, we know that it is the basis of gluten, and that 

 the propoVtion of that substance in wheat varies from five or 

 six to thirty.five per cent., according to the kind of wheat, the 

 quality of the soil, or the state of its cultivation. Both the 

 number of ears and of grains they contain, as well as the 

 quantity of gluten, increase, according to the quantity of 

 nitrogen imparted to the soil ,by the manure. We find the 

 Crops on similar soils varying under different treatment, from 

 three to eight, and even ten quarters per acre and the quality 

 of the grain is equally affected by it. We can therefore 

 scarcely conceive of a wheat-crop being super-saturated with 

 an over-dose of nitrogenous manure ; whilst a deficiency of 

 that chemical in any dressing, hoicever rich in other respects, 

 will be sure to manifest itself at harvest in a disproportionate 

 abundance of straw, compared with the yield of grain. 



The plan of the projectors of the proposed company for the 

 disposal of the sewage, is to distribute it by force-pumps to the 

 district around the spot where the reservoir is constructed. It 

 is computed, however, that within the range of the valley of 

 the Crutch, to which Mr. M'Clean's plan refers, there are 

 about 300,000 acres on a level with, or below, the conduit, to 

 which the sewage could be conveyed without pumping, whilst 

 a much larger breadth could be reached at a moderate height. 

 The greatest difficulty the company will have to encounter, 

 will probably be to induce the resident farmers to use it, and 

 it will require much energy in the managers to introduce it 

 generally. The Essex farmers are not by any means the most 

 forward to adopt any new system, aud it will be only by de- 

 grees, and upon the most palpable demonstration of its utility 

 in yielding an equivalent, that they will invest money in a 

 new enterprise. This subject, however, has been so much and 

 so long discussed, and its merits are now so well understood, 

 that we cannot conceive any long period will elapse, after the 

 establishment of the works, before the sewage will be eagerly 

 sought after by those within reach of its application. We be- 

 lieve that the plan of the projectors embraces the taking on 

 leases of as much land as they can procure, both with the view 

 of demonstrating practically the value of the sewage, and also 

 as a profitable investment of capital which it assuredly would 

 prove under a judicious management. 



It is estimated that north of London, to vhich the present 

 views ]of the projectors are alone directed, the quantity of 

 nitrogen contained in the sewage of the two million inhabi- 

 tants amounts 33^ million lbs., which will allow at the rate of 

 1661bs. per acre on 200,000 acres. This is nearly four times 

 as much as is commonly taken up by " a crop of wheat of 30 

 bushels per acre, or of hay of 1^ ton per acre ; or three times 

 as much as a crop of turnips of 20 tons per acre, or of potatoes 

 of 6 tons per acre." It is considered that such a dressing 

 would produce probably d ouble crops of every kind, especially 

 grass, which, at Edinburgh, Rugby, and other places, has 



yielded 70or 80 tons per acre, according to the atatementhanded 

 to me. I have myself known crops of mangel-wurzel of 70 

 tons per acre grown in the neighbourhood of Dubliu, by high 

 farming aud careful cultivation. 



There will, undoubtedly, be a la' ge excess of sewage for 

 some time, beyond the requirements of the neighbourhood ; at 

 least until the effects become generally kuown aud appreciated. 

 It is much in favour of the success of the plan that it is 

 no untried experiment, having been most successfully adopted 

 and worked out at Edinburgh, Rugby, Leicester, and other 

 places. At the first city, which contains a population of 

 80,000 ; in that half which is drained, " the sewage is applied 

 at a cost of £5,400, and produces £4,944 net per annum, or 

 91 per cent., so that the iuhabitanuts get rid of the nuisance 

 at the trifling cost of £456 per annum. About 8,000 tons of 

 sewage per Scotch, or 6,400 tons per English acre, are applied 

 annually, with the most astonishing effect. At Rugby about 

 432 tons per acre are applied, at three dressings, per annum- 

 It is distributed by means of pipes and hose, uuder steam 

 pressure of SOlbs. per inch, equal to 177 feet, at the rate of 

 140,000 gallons, or 630 tons per day. This allows at the rate 

 of 1471bs. of nitrogen per acre on the 470 acres thus irrigated. 



At Leicester the contractor has engaged to supply the whole 

 of the machinery aud apparatus gratis, on condition of having 

 the proceeds of the sewage for twenty years, he paying all the 

 expenses (as I understand) of the distribution ; and at the end 

 of the period contracted for, the machinery is, by the agree- 

 ment, to belong to the city. The population is 65,000, and 

 the amount of sewage 8 million tons, which, at the rate of dis- 

 tribution at Rugby, will supply about 18,600 acres. A charge 

 of 40s. per acre would, therefore, produce, in round numbers, 

 £37,000 ; and if the distribution could be as economically 

 effected as at Edinburgh, the contractor would make an excel- 

 lent speculation, whilst the town would receive gratis all the 

 benefit of the improvement in the sanitary condition of the 

 population, aud the neighbouring farmers that of a cheap and 

 valuable manure. 



It is a disgraceful thing to our wealthy metropolis to allow 

 these provincial cities and towns thus to take the initiative in 

 one of the most important arrangements of a municipality, 

 and bearing so directly on the sanitary condition of the inhabi- 

 tants. It argues but little of that common sense, which is the 

 first qualification in public men, to see the authorities more 

 intent upon embellishing their city, than on providing for the 

 health of its inhabitants. Had not the matter been taken up 

 by other parties, we question whether the city magnates 

 would ever have stirred in it to remedy the foul nuisance 

 which meets you at every step within the precincts of their 

 " kingdom," whether you travel by land or by water — through 

 the streets, or by that no-longer " Silver Thames," of which 

 our best poets delighted to sing, and which is now, by the 

 neglect of the corporation, converted into a huge, open, and 

 poisonous sewer. I must leave the remainder of the calculations 

 for a third letter. Yours, &c., 



London, Sept. 22. An Old Norfolk Farmer. 



NORTH WALSHAM AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



This society, which has now entered upon the third 

 year of its existence, celebrated its Anniversary on 

 Wednesday, Oct 28, at North Walsham. Although the 

 weather was not very favourable, a considerable number 



to the exhibition of stock, which was held in the field 

 near the town usually placed at the disposal of the 

 association. The exhibition was considered to be an 

 improvement on that of last year, especially in the 



of the gentry and farmers of the district were attracted j cattle classes, there being an increase of forty entries 



