FERTILIZERS. 49 



whole surface, but in summer, when the vegetation is active, it needs skill and experience to 

 put on the water or withhold it at proper times. The gardeners, however, have learned to do 

 it successfully and the land which nine years ago was only an open gravelly sand, so poor 

 that but moderate crops of rye could be grown on it, is now the most productive garden-soil 

 about Paris. When the experiment was begun no one would take the water, and the city 

 bought about twenty-five acres of ground on which to make the first trial. That land is now 

 rich, and rents yearly for $40 an acre, and the adjoining land-owners, who have concluded to 

 try the effect of the water, have increased their rents fourfold the average rent being now 

 about $36 an acre. No one who has taken the water has yet discontinued its use. 



The first effect sought that of purifying the water is produced completely. As it 

 comes from the sewers it is dark-colored, turbid, and of a vile odor. After being filtered 

 through the cultivated ground it collects in the underdrains and runs out clear, cool, without 

 smell or taste, and to chemical tests shows no organic matter. In fact, the little brook we 

 saw looked like the purest and most tempting of spring waters, and those who drank it said 

 it was so. 



The crops grown on this soil are cabbages, beets, carrots, beans, artichokes, cauliflowers, 

 garlic, onions, leeks, celery, salsify, pumpkins, potatoes, mint, absinthe, angelica, and nursery 

 and fruit trees. 



A committee of investigation who examined this subject in all its relations, reported the 

 following as crops per acre raised on these grounds : 



Artichokes From 14,000 to 30,000 heads. 



Cauliflowers 12,000 to 20,000 heads, weighing from 30,000 to 35,000 pounds. 



Garlic 32,000 pounds. 



Carrots 52,0 0.0 to 72,000 and even 115,000 pounds. 



Celery 87,000 pounds. 



Cabbage 120,000 pounds. 



Onions From 52,000 to 72,000 pounds. 



Leeks 52,000 pounds. 



Potatoes From 25,000 to 35,000 pounds. 



Pumpkins 100,000 to 120,000. 



Salsify 8,000 to 10,000 bunches, weighing 22,000 pounds. 



A remarkably fine dairy is kept there, and the cattle are fed on lucerne grown with 

 sewage, and we .were treated to strawberries grown on ground irrigated with sewage water, 

 which were as large and unexceptionable in flavor as Durand s &quot; Great American.&quot; The 

 vegetables are among the finest-looking in market, and are unquestioned in flavor and good 

 quality. The commission reported that the quality of the products, which had been con 

 demned by some persons, was now acknowledged good ; they retain the flavor which properly 

 belongs to them, and do not contract any bad taste. 



The benefits of this use of sewage water, both for its sanitary and agricultural effects, 

 are fully demonstrated, and proves the soundness of the views of those who devised and 

 carried it out. So far, the expense has been borne by the city. No charge has been made 

 for the supply-ditches and drains, or for the water. At the present time the question is being 

 raised, whether the land-owners, whose rents have been increased, and the gardeners, whose 

 crops have been so much enlarged, should not pay a part of the expense. It is, however, 

 generally conceded that the main part of the expense must be paid for the public good, and 

 for the benefit which it brings to health, and that it cannot be expected that sewage water, 

 diluted as it is, can ever be used on agricultural land so as to pay the whole cost of distrib 

 uting it. The present effort is very encouraging to sanitarians, and has only been reached 

 after a great deal of talk and unsuccessful work for the same end. On the ground where 

 the sewage is now distributed, we saw large reservoirs into which the sewage water was 



