Author, U: Utilisation of Sewage, and a Description of the "

Excerpt from The Utilisation of Sewage, and a Description of the "A B C" Process

Should the native guano of the A B C process be found to justify the expectations of the Company who possess the patent, there can be no doubt that some scientific theories of high repute will have to be recon sidered. On this very interesting part of the subject there is much to be said. But, in the first instance, we propose to make an appeal to direct facts. In order to see what is the real state of the case we have entered upon a tour of inquiry among the agriculturists who have used the native guano. At the same time we have accepted evidence as to garden produce, particularly where we can get the benefit of exact quantities. Our inquiries, which are still in process, extend through parts of Sussex, Kent, and Warwickshire. We have also made other inquiries in more distant counties, and trust that the facts thus collected will be found of service to all who are practically interested in the treatment of sewage and the cultivation of the ground. It is our own impression that a great change is impending over the practice of British agriculture, in which town-sewage will play an important part. New considerations, or, in other words, new facts, are pressing forward and cannot be disregarded, however much they may be resisted for a time. The interest excited by this question will be found to increase as the subject developes itself, a circumstance not to be wondered at when we remember that sewage and agriculture affect both the health and the sustenance of the people.

We have intimated that facts connected with garden culture are not excluded from our inquiry. We cannot see why they should be, although the Rivers Pollution Commissioners affected to treat them with disdain. Such facts have their value, though a good deal more may be desired. If all the gardeners in England become purchasers of native guano, that alone will establish an enormous trade. Or if any considerable proportion of the gardening class adopt this manure, the result will be by no means inconsiderable. In the meantime garden experiments help to show whether the native guano is worth anything or nothing; and we may as well say at once that, so far as our inquiries have gone at present, the testimony of horticulturists is decidedly in favour of this particular manure.

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com

This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.