416 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



directly into the cart. The whole affair is managed, not abso 

 lutely without offence, for that at present seems impossible, 

 but certainly without any offence which is avoidable. The men 

 bring their working-dresses with them, so as never to appear in 

 the streets otherwise than in decent attire. The vehicle in 

 which this fecal matter is conveyed, is a very large, tight cask, 

 or sometimes several tight casks j the horses, harnesses, and the 

 whole equipment are of a neat and perfect description ; and in 

 most cases would never be detected by a stranger, if either he 

 were not informed of their uses, or did not read the inscription 

 of the objects to which they are devoted on some part of the 

 vehicle. In no case is any offensive matter left in the streets, or 

 permitted to escape from the carts, until it arrives at its place of 

 deposit. 



The carts arrive at their destination before, or as soon as day 

 light. This place is near one of the barriers of the city. The 

 fecal matter is here suffered to run out upon an extensive piece 

 of ground, flattened and made hard like the bottom of a brick 

 yard. Here it remains until the liquid portion runs off into an 

 artificial basin, from whence as much as is wanted is taken for 

 the purpose of extracting the sal-ammoniac. The rest escapes 

 into the canal in the neighborhood. The solid matter, becoming 

 dry, is then broken up, turned over, re-broken ; and this process 

 goes on until it becomes so dry as to be easily reduced to powder, 

 when it is laid up in heaps, of which immense masses are accu 

 mulated. It is thus almost entirely deprived of odor, and may 

 be handled without offence. In this condition it is sold to the 

 farmers, who remove it either in open carts, or in bags or casks. 

 I cannot say that this place, (which occupies several acres of 

 ground,) or its neighborhood, is without offence ; but it is inhab 

 ited chiefly by persons who get their living by the operation ; 

 and to whom, therefore, the offence is not so great. After the 

 first drying, when it forms a thick and hard crust, it is broken 

 up by the plough, and afterwards by the harrow : and this oper 

 ation is necessarily several times repeated. In the end it passes 

 through a thorough sifting. As many women are employed here 

 as men ; and the laborers are principally of the lower order of 

 Germans, whose industry and acquisitiveness are usually remark 

 able. A great many children are likewise employed ; and the 

 search after prizes of value is always animated. As to the health- 



