]62 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
the application of sewage, or any other liquid manure, no such loss occurs, 
as every particle of it comes into immediate action on the crop in a day 
or two. The evidence also proves that town sewage also contains a large 
amount of heat; this heat, it has been proved, is of great benefit to agri¬ 
culture in stimulating vegetation. It is, therefore, evident that such a 
property in the sewage must greatly enhance its value as a manure. 
Also that the water alone of the sewage, even if entirely deprived of its 
manure, is of great benefit for agricultural purposes. The evidence 
further shows that one ton of average town sewage contains an amount 
of manure, which, if extracted and dried, would be worth a little over 2a., 
taking Peruvian guano sold at £ll per ton as the standard; but, as it 
appears from the evidence that Peruvian guano is now selling at £13 105. 
per ton, it is evident that the portion of manure contained in a ton of 
average town manure is now worth more than ^d. The evidence of Lord 
Essex proves that the use of sewage permanently improves land, its good 
effects being visible afterwards for years. The evidence further proves 
also that sewage has been applied to common grass, Italian rye grass, 
and to roots and grain crops with great advantage; and further, that 
sewaged grass has a great effect in increasing the* quantity and richness 
of the milk of cows, as well as improving the condition of the cattle. It 
is further proved that the use of sewage hastens vegetation ; also that 
cattle of all sorts appear to prefer sewaged grass to all others, and will 
eat it within a few hours of its being dressed with sewage; also that the 
earth possesses the power to absorb from the sewage all the manure which 
it contains, provided the sewage be not applied in too large a quantity, 
and that the crop is only benefited by the manure contained in that por¬ 
tion of the sewajie which is absorbed by the soil within reach of the roots 
of the plant, and that the land is not benefited by any portion of the 
sewage which escapes off its surface. In the case of Lord Essex, Mr. 
Westwood, the late farm-bailiff of the schools at Anerley, and Philip W. S. 
Miles, Esq., results have been obtained by small applications of sewage 
which solve the question of sewage utilisation, showing that if commercial 
results are to be sought for—results which will enable the agriculturist 
to pay a fair price for the sewage, and thus yield a return to the rate¬ 
payers of our cities and towns from its sale—sewage must be treated like 
any other manure, and applied to the soil or the crop according to their 
requirements, bearing in view the returns to be obtained.This 
committee are therefore of opinion that the evidence which has been given 
fully establishes the fact that sewage is applicable to all crops, and that if 
commercial results are sought for, it should be applied in small dressings. 
If the sewage of our cities and towns were utilised to the best advantage 
over suitable areas, it is evident that little or no imported or manufac¬ 
tured manures would be used ; this would greatly limit the area now 
supplied by such manures, and would therefore reduce the profits of all 
those engaged in the importation, manufacture, or sale of manure. 
“ In reference to the varieties of soil to which sewage has been applied, 
state of cultivation at the time, and comparative merits of different sorts 
for sewage application, the committee state that the evidence here proves 
that sewage may be applied with advantage to every description of soil 
which is naturally or artificially drained, and that the most profitable 
returns, as in the case of all other manures, will be obtained when it is 
applied to the best soil. 
“ On the question when the town sewage may be applied to land and 
to crops, it is stated that the evidence shows that sewage may be advan¬ 
tageously appliel throughout the entire year, with the exception of hard 
frosts. With regaril to the probability of town .sewage being injurious 
to land or to (jrops from any of the ingredients which it contains, it was 
proved by the evidence that some of the matters which enter the sewers 
