1869.] Agriculture. 247 



and to agriculture generally, by a rigid system of rules laid down 

 in agreements between landlord and tenant. Those who felt at 

 liberty, whether as to the subsequent cropping of the land in con- 

 sequence of a failure of the young clover plant, or as to immediate 

 cropping to make up for a deficient mangold and turnip crop, to 

 act as they thought best under the unusual circumstances, have 

 been much better off than those who could do nothing out of the 

 rule of rotation laid down to them without special Hcence from the 

 owner or the agent. 



The dry weather was a great aid to those who are interested in 

 the promotion of sewage farming. 



At the recent annual meeting of the Liverpool Sewage Utiliza- 

 tion Company, Mr. E, Neilson, the chairman, gave some information 

 as to the satisfactory progress of the company's works. The original 

 intention of laying the main hne to the Crosby Sands was prevented 

 by obstacles over which the company had no control. They had 

 consequently arranged with Mr. Blundell, of luce, for a lease of 

 40 acres of excellent land, on which to develop the system, and 

 advantageously supply the sewage to a number of the tenants of 

 that gentleman and of Lord Sefton, who were anxious to take it. 

 Seven and a-half miles had already been laid. The erection of the 

 buildings of the pumping station was completed, the boilers were 

 in their places, and the principal portion of the engines were already 

 finished. The connecting sewer had also been completed from the 

 well to the point of junction vnth the main sewer which received 

 the sewage ffom all the upper parts of Liverpool and Everton, 

 as far as Edge Hill, being that portion of the town where water- 

 closets had been most generally adopted, and which would give 

 a comparatively inexhaustible supply. 



On Lodge Farm, situated near the market gardens around 

 Barking, which were dried up and comparatively unproductive, 

 enormous growths of cabbages, mangold-wurzel, and other succu- 

 lent crops were obtained by three or four soakings with sewage in 

 the course of the year ; and unusual success also attended the use of 

 sewage even for corn crops, A return of potatoes, grown with 

 sewage, was obtained, equal to 50Z, an acre : cabbages, sold for 20/, 

 an acre, and stubble turnips, sold for 11/, an acre, were grown 

 during the autumn months. Five and a-half quarters of wheat, 

 taken after the wheat crop of 1867, on poor gravelly soil, were 

 obtained by the use of two dressings of sewage ; and heavy crops 

 of rye and winter oats were also grown. Around Salisbury, and in 

 other water-meadow districts, the value of summer irrigation was 

 seen, and farmers who owned any water-meadow had an immense 

 advantage over their burned-up neighbours. 



As another feature of the season, we have to mention the suc- 

 cessful commencement of the sugar-beet cultivation in this country. 



s 2 



