SECRETARY'S REPORT. 281 



are tlicy in all parts of the continent, tliat grass is cut very 

 green, very often, and very close to the ground, almost univer- 

 sally. But they often apply a dressing of liquid manure 

 immediately after cutting, and I saw it in innumerable instances 

 carried out upon the backs of women, and applied by the slowest 

 possible of processes, distribution by hand, often making an 

 extremely offensive smell, to be sure, after it was first applied, 

 but causing a wonderfully rapid start and growth. There are 

 meadows near Edinburgh that produce some fifty, some sixty, 

 and some even as high as eighty tons of green food per acre, so 

 it is said. 



I saw something of the sewage system of London, where ten 

 millions of cubic feet a day are discharged into the Thames. 

 It is estimated that it contains ingredients equal in fertilizing 

 properties to a hundred tons of guano a day, capable of manuring 

 twenty thousand acres. 



On the way to Venice, the traveller is stopped at Peschiera, 

 the first town of Venetian Lombardy, still under the power of 

 Austria. It is strongly fortified, and beautifully situated at 

 the southern extremity of Lago di Garda. The train is stopped, 

 passports are examined with the closest scrutiny, and the lug- 

 gage overhauled without scruple. It was something of an 

 ordeal to one visiting the country for the first time, and under- 

 standing the language of the officials but imperfectly. But as 

 soon as they were satisfied that we were not intending to take 

 the city, but only to spend a little money, they appeared to rest 

 easy and let us pass. 



Venice is a peculiar city. It is well nigh out to sea, being 

 built on many small islands. The streets are canals and most 

 of the locomotion is by the gondola. It was a very curious 

 change from the ordinary modes of travel, to step from the 

 railway station into a gondola and find myself at once on the 

 grand canal, gliding along so noiselessly and shooting into a 

 narrower canal, till at last we reach the step of the hotel. 

 Without tlie loss of time we start off from another door for a 

 short stroll, and soon find ourselves in the splendid square of 

 Saint Mark. It was just in the edge of evening and the people 

 had begun to assemble to hear the music of the fine Austrian 

 bands that play here every evening for the gratification of the 

 people. It was the finest music we heard in Europe ; so sweet, 



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