Utilisation of Excrementitious Maiter. 
123 
VIII. Companies to carry out EaHh-system. 
If then we contrast the prospects of the earth-system as 
applicable to towns, with its struggling, halting rival, the water- 
system, it appears that in the first place no expense for public 
works, such as main and branch sewers and drains, is required. 
Secondly, when the merits of the system have been tested and 
established in our public establishments, such as unions, (Sec, 
companies will be formed which will take upon themselves the 
working expenses, and find at least a sufficient profit in the value 
of the compost. If this when used five times obtains a value of 
2/. 10s. per ton, the poor may look for some payment for the soil, 
and the servants of the richer classes for some gratuities, sincre 
a much less value than this would pay for supplying, removing, 
and drying the earth. The only expense, then, that would fall 
upon the town, the owner, or the tenant, would be the fitting up 
of the closets, which in general need not be one-fourth of that of a 
water-closet. 
The actual profits of such a company would of course vary 
with each particular district, according to the facilities with 
which clay could be procured, and the proximity of heaths or 
light lands, for which the compost would have a special value. 
The strength given to the manure would also vary according to 
circumstances ; but without doubt, by the repeated use of the 
same earth, or by sifting the products of the closets before mixing 
them, its virtues may be so condensed as to render it equal to 
guano or any artificial manure. Thus prepared I have found it 
also to be equally deodorised. In this state, therefore, it is as 
capable of transmission to any part of the country as guano or 
superphosphate, being entirely free from the offensive smell of 
either. In this power of transmission it stands in striking 
contrast to liquid sewage. 
In conclusion, I would remark, that let one-fifth of the popu- 
lation of Great Britain adopt and thoroughly carry out this system, 
and one million tons of manure, equal to guano, will every year 
be added to our supply of fertilisers. Let it be adopted in our 
towns on the sea-coast, and in our large centres of manufacture, 
such as Birmingham or Bradford, and its benefits may rapidly be 
conveyetl to many a hill now barren, and may change many an 
unprofitable heath into fruitful fields. Let our landowners intro- 
duce it, with one or two other improvements, into their cottages, 
and the comfort, contentment, and prosperity of the working 
classes will be much promoted. 
