WEEDS. 65 



cut weeds is illegal, what is the lessee or pro- 

 prietor of a stretch of water to do with them ? 

 It is said that, turned on to the land and left to 

 rot, they would form a valuable fertilising agent, 

 but on this point there are differences of opinion. 

 It seems, however, to be generally admitted that 

 if mixed with lime they would be of advantage 

 to the land. Some farmers state that, so far 

 from the rotten or decomposed weeds being a 

 beneficial form of manure, the effect of turning 

 them on to the land is to kill the grass, and 

 that it takes many years for a meadow to 

 recover from the injury thus caused. A well- 

 considered opinion from a recognised authority 

 on the subject would be of the greatest 

 use. 



If it were once established that each pro- 

 prietor is bound to remove from the river his 

 own cut weeds, what is to be done with the 

 cabbage leaves, lawn mowings, and other garden 

 refuse which is usually swept into the river from 

 every house or cottage on the bank ? It is said 

 that the sanitary authorities have the power of 

 preventing this, and if only they could be in- 

 duced, or compelled, to use their power and to 

 select, in the first instance, the largest and most 

 influential riparian owners, there might be some 

 hopes of improvement. It might not only 

 remove the unjust burden now thrown on pro- 



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