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VII.— Ort the Employment of Gas-Water as a Manure. In a 

 Letter to the Secretary, hy John Paynter, Esq. Read 

 Feb. 1839. 



Sir, 



Observing that you invite communications on experiments in 

 agriculture, I take the liberty of sending you the result of one 

 with gas-water — the water in which the street- gas has been cleansed. 

 Having often thought that the alkali therein contained must be 

 favourable to vegetation, I was induced, a few years ago, to try it 

 on a piece of barley-land. A quarter of an acre was taken in the 

 middle of a field, of rather close soil, in a granite district. The 

 land was of average quality. The gas-water was distributed over 

 the quarter-acre by a contrivance resembling that of a common 

 watering-cart, and at the rate of 400 gallons to the acre, about a 

 week before seed-time. The rest of the field was manured in the 

 usual way. 



The difference, both in colour and vigour, of the barley-plant 

 was so strikingly in favour of the part manured by gas-water, that 

 persons passing within view of the field almost invariably came 

 to inquire about the cause. The yield also was superior, as well 

 as the after-pasture, the field having been laid down Vv^ith the 

 barley. 



The experiment was tried on the farm of Boslivin, about seven 

 miles from Penzance. My distance from a gas-work has pre- 

 vented me from following up the subject since : but I feel con- 

 vinced that this water, so often complained of as a common nui- 

 sance, might be most profitably employed both in agriculture and 

 horticulture. It might be poured on muck-heaps, where it would 

 probably destroy grubs, &c., in addition to its fertilizing pro- 

 perties. 



I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, 



John Paynter. 



Boskenna. Jan. 9th, 1839. 



Note by H. Handley, Esq., M.P. 



In confirmation of the foregoing letter, it may be observed that in many 

 parts of the country, where gas-works are established, the refuse has re- 

 cently become an object of interest to the agriculturist, as containing many 

 of the essentials of the most effective manures. The refuse hme, which was 

 formerly an inconvenience to the gas manufacturers, and was carted away 

 as valueless rubbish, is now contracted for by neighbouring farmers (in an 

 instance, within my own knowledge, at 7s. 6d. per chaldron), and applied 

 either in compost or in a direct form to the land ; where, in addition to the 



