53 REPOET — 1870. 



although, conducted on so small a scale. The Committee, however, fully in- 

 tends to prosecute the inquiry further, and to institute experiments of this 

 nature on a larger scale. 



It may be added here that some specimens of sewage-grown rye-grass, 

 carrots, turnips, onions, beet, and lettuce, from Breton's farm, were sent to 

 Mr. M. C. Cooke, M.A., for examination, with a view to the possible disco- 

 very of entozoic eggs or larvte. He states that " the rye-grass was mouldy, 

 but only from such moulds as are the result of decay from the damp grass 

 having been kept several days enclosed ;" and he siimmarizes the results of 

 his examination of the vegetables as follows : — " I find nothing whatever to 

 report against any of them. They all seem to me in excellent order and 

 free from parasitic insects, or from fungi of any kind." 



The foregoing Eeport is a brief account of the work done by the Committee 

 since the last Meeting of the Association at Exeter. Further details wiU be 

 found in the appendices ; but in the present immature stage of so important 

 and difficult an inquiry the Committee can only report progress, reserving 

 for a future, and it is hoped early Eeport, the practical conclusions and sug- 

 gestions resulting from its labours. 



APPENDIX. 



A. — Abstract of Returns from 200 Towns. 



Returns have been received from a large number of towns, recording 

 the existing arrangements of water-supply, sewerage, scavenging, and dis- 

 posal of refuse ; and the returns from 200 of these have been tabulated by 

 the Committee with a view to the selection therefrom of tyincal towns 

 for examination. They are arranged consecutively, from 1 to 200, under 

 the headings " Registration Divisions," " Counties," and " Watersheds." 

 Under the first heading all the Registration Divisions recognized by the 

 Registrar- General in England and Wales arc included, with the exception 

 of that of London. Under the second heading all the counties of England 

 appear, except Rutland, Huntingdon, and Westmoreland, while Wales is repre- 

 sented by seven towns. Scotland and Ireland contribute eight and four towns 

 respectively. Out of the 220 watersheds into which England and Wales are 

 divided, 39 appear in the schedule, and these comprise the principal rivers. 

 The 200 towns and districts enumerated contain a population of 7,159,240. 

 The whole of the towns in Great Britain and Ireland may be divided into 

 the three classes stated below, and the number of the tabulated towns in 

 each class is duly stated. 



No. Population. 



I. Towns having a complete system of underground 

 sewerage, a general water-supply, and a general 

 adoption of water-closets discharging into the 



sewers 44 1,154,600 



II.* Towns having a system of underground sewerage 

 with water-supply, and only a partial adoption 



of water-closets \ 145 6,785,840 



III. Towns without any system of underground sewer- 

 age 11 218,800 



7,159,240 



* In this class there are some towns with as few as six water-closets only. 



