Transcriber Note Text emphasis is denoted as _Italics_ and =Bold=. Whole and fractional part of numbers as 123-4/5. Farmers' Bulletin No. 1227 United States Department of Agriculture SEWAGE and SEWERAGE of FARM HOMES [Illustration] DISPOSAL OF FARM SEWAGE in a clean manner is always an important problem. The aims of this bulletin are twofold: (1) To emphasize basic principles of sanitation; (2) to give directions for constructing and operating home sewerage works that shall be simple, serviceable, and safe. Care in operating is absolutely necessary. No installation will run itself. Continued neglect ends in failure of even the best designed, best built plants. If the householder is to build and neglect, he might as well save expense and continue the earlier practice. Contribution from the Bureau of Public Roads THOS. H. MacDONALD, Chief Washington, D. C. January, 1922 SEWAGE AND SEWERAGE OF FARM HOMES. George M. Warren, _Hydraulic Engineer, Bureau of Public Roads_. CONTENTS. Page. Introduction 3 Plans and advice 3 Sewage, sewers, and sewerage defined 4 Nature and quantity of sewage 4 Sewage-borne diseases and their avoidance 5 How sewage decomposes 9 Importance of air in treatment of sewage 10 Practical utilities 11 Kitchen-Sink Drainage 26 Cesspools 26 Septic tanks 28 Grease traps 53 General procedure 55 INTRODUCTION. The main purpose of home-sewerage works is to get rid of sewage in such way as (1) to guard against the transmission of disease germs through drinking water, flies, or other means; (2) to avoid creating nuisance. What is the best method and what the best outfit are questions not to be answered offhand from afar. A treatment that is a success in one location may be a failure in another. In every instance decision should be based upon field data and full knowledge of the local needs and conditions. An installation planned from assumed conditions may work harm. The householder may be misled as to the purification and rely on a protection that is not real. He may anticipate little or no odor and find a nuisance has been created. PLANS AND ADVICE.