557 



valueless. On a field treated as I have described with under-draiMge, 

 Mr. Bartlett has raised this season, the heaviest crops of com I have seen 

 in the county. The land previously was subject to inundation, cold and 

 unproductive, the soil naturally good, being a clay loam with a clay sub- 

 soil ; when dry, too hard to plow, and when wet not fit ; by draining, it 

 has become one of the most pleasant and desirable of soils. There are 

 hundreds of acres in the County similarly situated, which are sown or 

 planted without expecting to realize much from them ; but we do not 

 like to run round a patch, or sag, we therefore put it in, and " trust to 

 Providence ;" but Providence seldom smiles on us contrary to our own 

 expectations and against the dictates of reason. 



Land so drained will sustain a more severe drought than ordinary 

 good soils ; the water settling away soon after heavy rains, leaves the 

 ground loose and porous to a good depth, the roots of plants extend 

 deeper, and the ground not being hard baked, evaporation goes on to 

 much greater depth, and more equally. Another advantage of under- 

 drains, consists in being able to till the whole surface ; there is no ob- 

 struction of surface ditches, no expense to be incurred annually, in keep- 

 ing them open, no necessity of finding an odd spell, (which, by the 

 by, is seldom found,) in which to cut the weeds and bushes growing 

 on the borders, and no running the whole length of a field to a crossing 

 place, with the loads of hay or grain raised. 



By introducing this system of drainage, a person can advantageously 

 make himself a public benefactor, for he can raise more than two blades 

 of grass, where one or nothing grew before. 



It is desirable that the attention of farmers be directed to this mode 

 of improvement, and that hereafter, a suitable premium be awarded for 

 the most thorough and practical system of surface and under-drain- 

 age. 



Had Mr. Bartlett been a competitor, it is but justice to say, I could 

 have been warranted in disposing of the first premium. 



All of "which is respectfully submitted. 



W. H. MONTGOMERY, 

 Chairraan of Committee on Farms. 



The Committee on Swine, report a premium of $2, to J. S. Chapel, 

 for the best sow and pigs ; $1 50 for best fatted hog, to A. W. Potter ; 



