Use of Town Seivaqe as Manure. 
15^ 
indeed, tliat in considering' the question of the distribution of 
nitrogen between the solid and liquid, we take a very favourable 
view for the former when we compare them in the fresli state. 
Except in small towns, or under a very perfect system of drainage 
in large cities, there cannot be such a thing as fresh sewage. 
Fajcal matters begin to decompose immediately they are voided, 
and during this change the nitrogenous matters are being rapidly 
converted into soluble ammoniacal compounds, whilst the inso- 
luble organic matter that escapes decomposition is more and 
more assimilated to woody fibre, a substance of comparatively 
little value. 
Tlirough the kindness of Mr. Ranger and Mr. Rammell, two 
of the inspecting engineers of the General Board of Health, I 
have had the opportunity of examining samples of sewage-water 
from the outfalls of the sewers at Croydon and Rugby. These 
towns have been sewered under the improved system of tubular 
pipes, in which the sewage is very rapidly brought away. 
Owing to the quantity of water used in these towns, and to the 
fact that the solid matter is brought down bodily at particular 
times of the day, giving much more visible evidence of its origin 
than in the case of London sewage, the quantity of the suspended 
matter was not sufficient for examination. I found the Croydon 
sewage taken in the middle of the day, when filtered through 
paper, to contain, in the imperial gallon, upon evaporation, of 
solid residue, 53 grains, containing — 
Organic matter and salts of 
ammonia 22 "63 grains 
Phosphoric acid . . . 1'54 ,, = 3 -SSgrs. phosphate of lime. 
Soda 1-33 ,, 
Potash 2-17 „ 
The 22 • 63 grains of organic matter and salts of ammonia con- 
tained 2 • 96 grains of ammonia. 
Tlie analysis was not carried further. The samples from 
Rugby were, at Mr. Rammell's suggestion, collected at two 
periods of the day ; the first (at 11 a.m.) when filtered gave, on 
evaporation, 42 • 32 grains of solid matter in the gallon, contain- 
ing 2 41 of ammonia; tlie second sample (collected at 5 p.m.) 
gave, when filtered and evaporated, 61 grains of solid residue in 
the gallon, containing — 
Organic matter . . . 14*19 grains. 
Phosphoric acid . . . "73 „ = 1 '50 grs. phosphate of lime. 
Soda 5-19 „ 
Potash 7-04 ,, 
The organic matter contained 0-92 grains of ammonia. 
I am informed that, in the pipe-sewered towns, it is princi- 
pally in the morning and evening, when the working-classes and 
