UTILIZATION OF SEWAGE. 39 



the highest prices, while the laborers dwelling on the farm 

 are in the best of health. 



The sewage farm at Croydon is surrounded by beautiful 

 villas. There has been but one complaint during the past 

 twelve years, and then as a result of an accident. 



Irrigation at Paris. 



I should like to reproduce the history of the Gennevilliers 

 farms, as told by the six commissioners appointed by the 

 municipal government of Paris, but must content myself 

 with brief abstracts from a translation I have already pub- 

 lished. 



Before the execution of the measures conceived by M. 

 Belofrand for the ijeneral healthfuhiess of Paris, the rain- 

 water and the washings of the streets flowed into the Seine, 

 either directly, or by a great number of drains emptying 

 on the quays of each bank the whole length of Paris. This 

 mode of drainage resulted in the immediate and pronounced 

 pollution of the river, which reached the maximum at the 

 point where it leaves the city. The work of Belgrand had 

 for its result the concentration of four-fifths of the drain 

 water in a large sewer opening into the river at Clichy, while 

 the remainder was discharged at St. Denis. At the same 

 time the water for domestic supply was largely increased. 

 In 18G0 30,000,000 gallons per day were furnished for 

 this purpose ; in 1882 92,000,000 gallons were required 

 each day, or 34,020,000,000 gallons per year. This, with 

 the rain-water which falls on the city, estimated at from 

 9,576,000,000 to 11,340,000,000 gallons, makes a total 

 of 44,100,000,000 to 45,360,000,000 gallons, which, were 

 it not for evaporation and other loss, should be carried by 

 the sewers. This loss amounts to something like 18,900,- 

 000,000 gallons per year, as indicated by gauges in the two 

 sewers, which register 26,208,000,000 gallons (about 42 per 

 cent, disappearing by evaporation). As a result of currents 

 and obstacles in the river, mixing did not take place ; and 

 the right bank — the most densely peopled — received on a 

 very long margin the totality of the drain water, depositing 

 all the way organic matter brought in suspension. Protes- 



