On Irrigation. 471 



it contained its fair proportion of ammonia, it worJcl be tlie more 

 valuable for passing rapidly, and not choking the pores of the soil 

 through -which it passed. Wliat had been said about the injurious 

 effects of sulphate of iron and peaty waters was most important, and 

 lectures of that kind, borne out by personal knowledge, were calculated 

 to be most useful in preventing the expenditure of money on irrigation 

 with water Avhich would do more harm than good. 



There was another important point, having reference to water from 

 drains. At tliat moment Mr. Bailey Denton was very anxious that 

 inquiries should be made with regard to the supply of v/ater, which of 

 late years had been much changed by the drainage throughout the 

 country. That gentleman was of opinion that in some cases, in 

 consequence of the water being drained away, the rainfall had been 

 lessened, and the difficulty of obtaining viator increased, and that 

 hence there was a necessity for using and storing our drai]iage- 

 water as much as possible. This appeared to him a very valuable 

 hint. It was already established that water v/hich passed through 

 highly-fertilised land was more valuable than water which did not 

 natui-ally contain much ammonia. Probably before long an inquiry 

 would have to be instituted, as to the manner in v/hich the dams, 

 which had been long maintained at certain heights, should be altered, 

 in order to enable people to avail themselves more easily of the water 

 supply. The water now came out at a doubly and treblj^ rapid pace ; 

 yet there was no possible means of altering the height, because the 

 law did not permit it. There must be an inquiry with the view 

 of enabling agriculturists to use the rainfall more extensively than 

 they have done. In conclusion, he must repeat that he considered the 

 lecture \vhich had been delivered one from v/hich agriculture was 

 likely to derive great benefit. 



Sir J. Johnstone, M.P., said many of the meadows in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Humber called " salt-meadows," were very good for 

 fattening animals. He should like to hear from the lecturer some 

 explanation of that. 



Professor Voelcker said he knew a good many salt-meadov/s on 

 some parts of the coast. The quantity of salt that was brought upon 

 the land was very small, but it was sufficient to produce a decidedly 

 useful effect. Let it be remembered that for agricultural produce a 

 small quantity of salt was of very great use, whilst a large dose was 

 invariably injurious. Such a quantity as would be conveyed to land 

 by the spray of sea- water was no doubt beneiicia]. Indeed, he believed 

 that the addition of some salt to sewage would be of great benefit to 

 the feeding qualities of grass. 



Every kind of refuse may with benefit be put in the water, and then 

 applied to the land, which has a v/onderful deodorising power. He 

 was led to make this remark by knowing that the chairman took a 

 great interest in the cultivation of flax. Stec2)-water v/as a very great 

 nuisance, and the only woy of disjjosing of it was to carry it over a 

 moderate area of soil. All other deodorizers were either too cxjiensive 

 or not available. Even a small area of soil completely deodorised the 

 most fcetid liquid, and a large portion of the fertilising matter was 



