The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-01-23

NJ
creased growth to the crops.
From English government re-
ports made two years ago, 1t ap-
pears hat Of a large number OF
towns, mostly varying in popu-
lation from ten to eighty thous-
and, over one-half derived an
actual profit from this mode OF
irrigation, while the remainder
made no profit, or met with fl
nancial loss, the chief object be
ing the removal Of the causes OF
disease at whatever cost.
When sewage is applied to
land by way of irrigation, it is
necessary to adopt a regular and
systematic mode of application.
The land must not be flooded
at random, but the water evenly
distributed through channels
methodically laid out, and no
more used than the soil will alb
sorb and purify. At Milan, in
Italy, 1000 acres of land are
treated with the sewage from
the city, or at the rate of an acre
to forty persons. AT the mea-
dows near E~dinburg, only 400
acres are provided, and the area
is not sufficient to take up all
the putrid matter, although larg
crops of coarse grass are obtain
ed. Ia some low places the
abundant supply has made the
meadow a mere marsh, that cat
tie cannot walk over.
The Massachusetts, Health
Report gives an account of the
well conducted sewage farm
which receives the discharge
from Romford, a town OF 1000
inhabitants, near London. The
farm contains 125 acres, or an
acre to ffty-six inhabitants.
The sewage is brought from the
town in iron pipes, and received
in storage tanks, from which it
is pumped and conveyed in con-
duits. Among the crops cult
waited are cabbages, potatoes,
turnips, peas, beans, onions, In
dian corn and grass, all Of which
grow luxuriantly. The lessee
of the farm pays the town
$4,000 per annum for the sewage
supplied for use.
These extensive experiments,
although not applicable to COM
mon farming, serve to show the
value of the impure refuse mat
ter from every dwelling, if used
on a small scale and for similar
purposes.
A drawback in the successful
use of town sewage is the fact
that it must be disposed of day
by day throughout the entire
year, and that its quantity is Of
ten greatest when of the least
service to the land.
DISEASE PREVENTED BY DRAINING.
DR.. Kedzie, of Michigan, esti-
mates that 10000 miles of I'M
derdrains were constructed in
that State in the ten previous
years, with a marked decrease of
malarial diseases, some physi-
clans stating that they had been
reduced to only one-half, or even
to one-fourth of their previous
numbers. Draining would
strongly tend to prevent impuri-
ties from passing into wells,
The Massachusetts Health
Report states that "intermittent
fever has ceased in certain parts
of Great Britain, and in this
country, under influence Of til
lage and drainage of the soil
Official records state that in
England and Scotland "the life
Of the people gains from 20 to
% per cent. In years, and they
suffer less than half the average
sickness and disability in the
well-drained districts"
An interesting case bearing on
this subject is given by Dr.. Will
son Of Flint, In the Second Re-
port of the Michigan Board Of
Health ''In the town Of Gaines,
in this county, twelve years ago,
WAS a marsh of over tnnr miles