The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1867-10-18
Aatiunal gepablitau.
What Is Done with London Sewage
An Experimental Farm-Remsrksble

What Is Done with London Sewage
An Experimental Farm-Remsrksbie
Results.
The great sewage system carried out by the
Metropolitan Board Of Works in London, at a
cost of $4,000 900, is to be further improved by
applying the fertiliziug material to eight thou.
sand acres Of barren lands at Mspln, which 1t Is
proposed to render as productive as garden At
the same time bringing the sewage within reach
Of many thousand acres Of arabic land. An ex-
pertinent Is now in progress at Lodge Farm, y
comprising two hundred acres. The results are
given by the London Star:
"The sewage at present used is brought
through l5inch pipes to the farm from the
pumping station. Tho pump Is worked by an
engine OF 25-horse power, which, when the cul.
verts are complete, will DO used for the general
purposes Of the farm. The pipes are carried IN
der the soil on the line Of the future culverts,
and discharge through syphon into tank on
the boundary of the farm. In this tank are
regulating chambers, and the height over the
soil Is sufficient to secure a rapid and thorough
irrigation, which is effected through movable
shoots, as we'll as through the 6ed Carriers
1.-THE farm Is devoted to the raising Of grass
and green crops principally, but experiments
have been made in white crops and garden vege'
tables which have succeeded to admiration.
There has been raised this year on the farm a
small breadth OF wheat The yield was salts.
factory, and the straw was fne and strong,
plainly showing that contrary to the theories Of
certain writers the sewage contains abundance
of slicates, for 1t has been said that corn grown
with sewage manure alone always lodged when
ripe because Of weakness In the straw, from the
Absence OF sufliciency Of silica. There are also
upon the land some splendid cabbages, and per.
haps the largest celery that could DO seen. Last
winter some sticks were grown having eighteen
inches Of white, crisp edible part. Some straw.
berry plants, just put out, cuttings from q small
bed, look stout and healthy.
But the great power Of the farm--the great
result OF the sewnge-is shown In tho marigods
and the grass Tho marigolds are q wonder. Mr..
Nelson, himself q practical farmer on large
scale, lifted one for show Ohere were many fully
as large) which, we believe, weighed not less
than eighteen pounds. He means to exhibit 1t
in Liverpool as proof Of the fertilizing power
of sewage, which he has him. elf long applied to
bis farm. The average Of the marigolds which,
Of course, will continue to grow In all October,
will be then about sixty tons to the acre. The
grass laid down extends to fI.y or sixty acres
and Is principally Italian rye grass The growth
Is almost beyond belief. There are already this
year seven cuttings, at .iom seven to ten tons
the acre each cutting. Ire greatest part aver
ages the teu.ton utting. The first cutting was
in April, owing to the severity Of the spring
There are two cuttings more expected before the
winter. The expense Of irrigation is rs near as
can be calculated fifty shill'ngs per ecre per an
mum, or about Eve shillinys to six shillings for
each cutting Of grass. What Is not required to
feed the stock on tho farm is sold to London
cowkeepers and others for about { 10 per acre
for each cutting
The company maintain on the farm at pres.
emit one hundred and eleven cows all giving milk,
and at one period Of the present season they had
two hundred and seventy six, but even then they
did not feed of all their own grass. Hope, who
has now large experience, relics implicitly or
carbolic acid, both as a curative Of disease If II
should appear, and as q preventive. This yea
he applied 1t to cows indicating the approach o
the rinderpest, administering Il internally, ant
applying il externally also. Externally, 1t wa,
rubbed In at the base Of the skull and tho roo
Of tho tail, and the building in which the cattle
stood was syringed daily three timer with Q
dilution Of the acid Every animal remained In
good condition, and from the time the treatment
and Swinging commenced there has not been
even an indication Of the pest. Indeed, Mr.
Hope insists that rindcrpest is no more incurable
than any other cattle disease, and pointed to O
couple Of living proofs upon which We shall not
enlarge In the face of the very extensive powers
Of the cattle inspectors
Tho sewage Of the Metropolitan Sewage
Company is carried under Barking creek through
double range Of cast metal pipes six feet In
diameter, tho culverts at either side termina
in wells, from which the pipes convey to ont
side what pa SEES in at the other. These pipe
will have to bear q very heavy pressure, but NJ
doubt they have been duly tested Through tn,
marshes between the creek and the farm the cul
vert Is carried over q viaduet which has beer
deemed the cheapest mode Of obtaining foun.
dation. The solid basis Is over thirty feet be.
low the surface. Into the marsh shafts are
sunk and piers built on the solid foundation,
over which arches are thrown, and upon these
are raised the culyerts The cost Of this work
is $40, 900 per mile. The contractor is Mr..
Webster. The arch Of the culvert is ten feet in
diameter, and the brick work seems perfect and
is, we believe, equal 70 its appearance. Tht
culyert was first constructed with four coursel
Of brick over the lining, and, moreover, latera
supports Of equal thickness Now a suggestion
Of NJ. Hope is carried out which saves muol
outlay, and secures equal If not greater strength
Instead Of brckwork, courses Of concrete ar
used, and the economy Is as remarkable as th,
success The company when in operation, cal
culate on realizing $3.50, 900 year Assuming
that all the sewage were well sold, it would b
much more
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