336 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



the relish and flavor of his fruits. Chemistry and Science, to a very high 

 degree, may be combined with the laws of Nature, and I know of no pro- 

 fession or employment which will be more benefited by a chemical and 

 meteorological education than that of an agriculturist. A good farmer is a 

 good chemist and a good philosopher, and he ought to know the whole 

 economy of nature in its soils, climates, and seasons. 



We have seen a thrifty peach orchard growing an abundance of fruit, 

 while the surface of the ground was kept free from grass and weeds and 

 stirred once or twice in the season with the hoe, but utterly destroyed for 

 fruit by sowing grass-seed on the land followed with a crop of grass among 

 the trees. 



Incteed, grass, plants, and weeds cannot grow in an orchard, or among 

 fruit trees of any kind, withoiit most seriously diminishing both the quan- 

 tity and quality of the fruit. 



Liquid Manure. 



Mr, R. L. Pell. — I believe that next to the first principles of cultivation on 

 the land, there is no subject of such vast importance to agricultural pro- 

 gress, as far as the increase of crops is concerned, as the efficient distri- 

 bution of liquid manure. And from facts derived from late horticultural 

 and agricultural experience, it is established that a degree of dilution, such 

 as nearly extinguishes odor, is the best state for their application to plants ; 

 that the delivery of the manure in a highly concentrated state, or its pro- 

 longed exposure, in a state of fermentation readily perceptible to the senses, 

 is really wasteful ; while not only is the produce increased, but offensive 

 emanations are entirely prevented by greater dilution with water, and more 

 frequent applications of the liquid to plants. These conclusions were early 

 corroborated by an able agriculturist, the late Mr. Oliver, of Lochend, who 

 held a portion of the irrigated meadows near Edinburgh, and who com- 

 plained that the sewer-water as there obtained was far too highly charged 

 with manure for its best application, and that such tenants as himself were 

 prevented from improving the system by the want of water for proper 

 dilution, and of means necessary for more frequent applications of liquid 

 manure. He was so convinced of the necessity of greater dilution, that he 

 caused water to be pumped by steam for the purpose. 



By the more rapid discharge of sewage from a town through closed 

 tubular sewers, and by covering over the reservoirs for the storage of the 

 sewer water, or rather by such extended arrangements for an increased 

 frequency of the applications of the sewer-water to the land as would pre- 

 vent the necessity of any extensive storage of such matter, the objections 

 on sanitarj'- grounds would be greatly diminished, and, in fact, considered 

 trivial, if they were properly compared with the evils arising from defec- 

 tive drainage of the houses, and the consequent retention of decomposing 

 refuse amidst them. 



In the course of inquiries as to the means of street cleansing by jets of 

 water, it has been ascertained that wliere pipes are laid down and water 

 maintained in them at a pressure of about 145 feet, plugs being fixed at 

 proper intervals, two men ma^' water, by means of a flexible tube and jet, 

 an extent of surface at the rate of twenty-two acres per day. How easy 



