The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-24 00:00:00

TUE RAINFALL OF 1868.

Mr. Symons writes to the Times, to correct an
erroneous statement repeated in many quarters
respecting the rainfall of last year. It has been said
that the total rainfall of 1868 was only 18.17
inches, instead of 23.05, and that in every
part of the country the same deficiency
was observable. Mr. Symons pronounces this
statement to be wholly incorrect, and he gives a
table shewing that generally speaking the rainfall
throughout the country was nearly, if not quite, up
to the average. The only station at which a marked
deficiency was that of Witham, Essex, while in Mar-
dale Green, Westmoreland, the fall was 37 per cent.
above the computed avers ge. Mardale Green is situated
in that part of Westmoreland from whence it is pro-
posed that the future supply of London should be
drawn. According to last year's experience, it can
very well afford to assist the metropolis, the total
amount of rain being 123.08 inches, or nearly six
times as great as in London. Only what will the
waterless • towns of Lancashire say at seeing this
supply carried past their doors, and, so far as they
•
are concerned, " not a drop to drink ?" •

THE MANtRE FAIIII AT ALDERSHOTT.
An important exieiiment of sewage as an
conclusionirrigating
Ar
lea e
h a sbeen brought to a satisfactory
ishb) ott. Although many discus-
voanhliye
towf
osegwrielgae
manure for agricultural purposes, t
place on the
sions have taken
practical experiments have been tried, at Barking and
at Aldershott. The soil in the latter place was of the
most hopeless description, and the stony desert seemed
ent ; but this
thriving farm,
unpromising for a fanning i
and all has been accomplished tmd
years with the
barren wilderness is now a
threei
Mr.
aid of liquid sewage and carefueelfearmain farming. Mr
James _Blackmore, a Scotch gentleman
of great experience, has been ttlm thne chief"ofear
agent in this work, and the success he has
met with has been most surprising. By the e
year the fifty acres of sand were fit for sowing with
Italian rye-grass. As the reclaimed lands require
less sewage, the barren wastes are brought under the
influence of the surplusage, and got ready in a like
manner. The land is laid out in the old Scotch drill
system, and the liquid manure let flow through 12-
inch gullies about 20 yards apart. At Camp Farm
elere are now 75 acres under cultivation, and before
the old of next year the whole will be bearing green
crops. o.ne of Mr.Blackmore'sgreat secrets is to get the
liquid inaii,7re on to the land as soon as possible, for
half the fertilL'ing elements of the sewage are lost by
decomposition w:•,.in exposed to the air. In three
years the Camp F„:m at Aldershott has been re-
claimed from a sandy 77aste into a flourishing home-
stead, which is a sure p:oof of the success of the
system that has beets employt.::l- .
..

THE TURF.
On the question cf early training
for the turf, " A
Rider" writes to the Times, and
sy3tein. and urges very strongly,l ain
the want of wisdoir of the
not a horse-dealer," he writes, " but few persons
have had the opportunitl,Ns I have had of seeing
horses of various countries, an'd I have always looked
at them with the eyes of ii,•quiry and affection.
Above all, I. have myself ,broken in well-
bred horses for•my own use as hmrters and roadsters
for hard work, and I can add the\ testimony of a
nainful experience that too early NvOtk disposes the