408 
Sewage- Farming. 
have found in nearly every case tlie second year's crop patchy 
and variable, and evidently much affected by the winter. Mr. 
Hope informs me that if cut at the proper time, and never allowed 
to seed, it will make a total growth of 150 to 200 inches in the 
time I have named. For every one of these inches a weight of 
half a ton per acre will be produced, so that 75 to 100 tons per 
acre are within the limits of its capabilities of production. 
Although the latter figure has perhaps never been attained, au- 
thentic instances of the former are not wanting. It is plain that 
a plant possessing such manifest advantages to the sewage-farmer 
will be likely to hold its place in his rotation, since under proper 
management there can be no fear of the successful disposal of 
his crop. I put entirely on one side the cases where it has been 
grown and found unsaleable, as such a state of things could 
only arise from bad management. The grazier who should 
neglect to provide a sufficiency of live stock for the consumption 
of his grass, would not hold a very high place in the estimation 
of his fellows ; neither would I take as an example the sewage- 
farmer who neglected to find mouth or market for his pro- 
duce. It is much to be desired that some really satisfactory and 
efficient artificial means could be devised for the turning of large 
crops of this kind into hay. An invention of this description 
would add immensely to the value of the sewage-farmer's pro- 
<luce ; and there should be little doubt that such difficulties as 
now exist will speedily be removed whenever a serious demand 
arises for such a machine. 
Manqold. — This is another of the mainstay crops of the irri- 
gator, well repaying considerable applications of manure. Easily 
stored, readily saleable, and wholesome in use through the whole 
of the spring months, it is no wonder that large breadths of 
it should be found in cultivation on most sewage-farms. The 
irrigator possesses such facilities for its successful planting that 
it may be questioned whether this mode of cultivation has yet 
received all the attention it deserves. It is generally drilled in 
May and sewaged freely as soon as above ground, and by this 
means crops of 40 or 50 tons are easily secured. The advantage of 
planting would be the clear gain of nearly two months to the land, 
which might have already borne a crop of early potatoes or other 
produce before its occupation by the mangold plant. I would not 
place the limit in the yield of this crop at the tonnage I have named, 
i believe 60 or even 70 tons per acre are quite within the culti- 
vator's reach ; indeed such amounts have been produced under 
ordinary tillage ; and when it is remembered that roots at two feet 
apart, and of an average weight of one stone (14 lbs.) each, give a 
crop of 68 tons per acre, I think that with the advantage he pos- 
sesses of absolute certainty of plant, and with his command of 
