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This strategy became necessary after an errant tomato plant sprouted from a visitor's night soil back in the 1960s.

Often in exchange for a fee paid to each household, farmers collected what was called night soil at regular intervals to fashion into fertile compost.

In Japan, by contrast, where land was less fertile, humanure or “night soil” was so highly valued that when the price soared disputes broke out over who had the right to collect it.

At the bottom were night soil workers and other “untouchables.”

You return to find your houses combed spotless of spoiled crumbs, your bedding free of lice, your woodlots cleansed of night soil, your hen coops rid of chicken mites.