ON THE BIRMINGHAM, TAME, AND EEA DISTEICT DRAINAGE, 505 



sludge last year, and the same land may receive a coating of sludge every 

 two to three years. 



A few words may be said as to the difficulty at one time experienced 

 in dealing with the mud from the tanks. After the construction of the 

 first two large tanks in 1859 the mud therein deposited was dredged out 

 and run on to the adjacent land, where it accumulated for some years, 

 forming at one time a large mass of foul matter about seven acres in 

 area and over four feet deep. In consequence of the nuisance arising 

 therefrom proceedings were taken, about 1871, by the residents in the 

 vicinity, and an injunction obtained restraining the Corporation from 

 depositing the mud so as to cause a nuisance. Great efforts were made 

 by the Corporation to reduce the amount of mud, large quantities being 

 conveyed away in boats, but it was not until the experiment had been 

 tried of trenching the mud into the land, and found perfectly satisfactory, 

 that the present system V7as adopted, about the end of 1872, and the 

 difficulty finally overcome. 



Practically the whole of the sewage of the Drainage District, amount- 

 ing to sixteen million gallons per day, flows by gravitation to the outfall 

 ■works. Only a very small area requires its sewage lifted by pumping, the 

 cost of such pumping beiug 104Z. per annum. 



The Board farms the whole of the land, no portion of it being 

 sub-let. 



Of the produce milk is a large and increasing item, 128,995 gallons, 

 realising 4,406Z., being sold last year. During the present year about 

 280 acres of land are devoted to mangolds, swedes, and kohl rabi ; 250 

 acres to market garden produce, 100 acres to Italian rye grass, 130 acres 

 to cereals, and about 340 acres are pasture. 



The total amount realised last year from the sale of stock and produce 

 was 20,008Z. During the same time stock was purchased to the extent of 

 7,760Z. 



With regard to the financial aspect of the Board's work it is perhaps 

 needless to say that a considerable sum of money has annually to be 

 obtaiued from the rates. The total amount raised by the Board's precept 

 last year was 33,089Z., of which interest and repayment of loans absorbed 

 17,5161. ; management expenses, rent, rates, taxes, &c., 5,594L ; the 

 balance of 9,9791. representing the loss on the year's working of the 

 farm. 



Appendix C is a detailed statement of the actual income and expendi- 

 ture of the farm and works during 1885. The great loss, as will be seen 

 from the statement, is in the woi-k at the outlet (which comprises the 

 lime, wages, machinery expenses, and other charges connected with inter- 

 cepting and dealing with the mud from the tanks). The amount ex- 

 pended under this head (exclusive of rent) was 10,715L, for which sum 

 4,778 tons of lime were provided for precipitation, and 135,476 cube 

 yards of mud were arrested in the tanks and dug into the land ; the corre- 

 sponding income is practically nil. Since the opening out of the irriga- 

 tion land the expenses at the outlet have undergone some reduction, and 

 there is every prospect not only of a further reduction in the future, but 

 also of a gradual increase in the receipts from the irrigation land as the 

 demand for the farm produce is developed ; but bearing in mind the large 

 initial outlay in purchase of land and the construction of works, and the 

 annual working expenses in disposing of so large a volume of sewage, it 



