Toion Sewage. 467 



Kesults of late Meetings. 



Before the Royal Agricultural Society held its Show at Wor- 

 cester the county was very backward, both with exhibitors and 

 prize takers ; and furnished in 1861 only 43 members to the 

 Society, but a list published since the Worcester meeting shows 

 that the number is increased to 168. This is one of the indirect 

 advantages that the Society gains by its peripatetic meetings. 



In conclusion, the writer tenders his thanks to those gentle- 

 men who have so kindly favoured him with information on the 

 different subjects discussed, trusting that any criticism he has 

 penned may not offend. May we all see more improvement 

 made during the next twenty years than has been effected during 

 the last, great though it has been. 



X. — Toion Sewage. 



The Royal Commission on the "Sewage of Towns" has lately 

 published its third Report, and the Journal of the Chemical 

 Society has printed an article by Messrs. Lawes and Gilbert, 

 embodying, in a popular form, the leading points involved in 

 this subject. 



The same authors contributed to this Journal (1st Series, Vol. 

 xxiv., p. 65) an article based on the second Report of the 

 Commission, exhibiting many of the chief results obtained 

 by the use of sewage on grass at Rugby in 1861, results which 

 the later Reports confirm by the larger experience of sub- 

 sequent seasons of remarkably diversified character. 



It is now proposed to give, in a somewhat condensed form, 

 the substance of the communications made to the Chemical 

 Society by Alessrs. Lawes and Gilbert. 



The problem is thus enunciated : How to dispose of the 

 "excreta" of large populations in such a manner as to secure 

 their collection and removal without nuisance or injury to 

 health, together with their economical utilisation for the re- 

 production of food. Hitherto, where utilisation has been most 

 complete, comfort and health have been overlooked ; where 

 removal from the dioellings has been most rapid and complete, 

 other objects have been sacrificed. 



China and Japan are frequently cited as examples of " utili- 

 sation," but their arrangements are such as to be quite irre- 

 concilable with our modern notions of cleanliness, decency, 

 comfort, and health. 



Belgium has also been referred to : " indeed, in one of the 

 applications made only last year to the Metropolitan Board of 



