84 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



must vary with the nature of these localities. The cost, how- 

 ever, need not he great in any locality, and the experiment is 

 worth trying, wherever it can be properly made. 



We have seen only two places in the county where irrigation 

 has been practiced to any considerable extent. One is in 

 Franklin, where the method adopted seemed to be most 

 effectual and its result profitable. But of this we have no 



account to present. The other is the farm of Mr. Gay, 



in Stoughton. Of the method adopted and its results, in this 

 instance, we have the following exact account from one of the 

 most intelligent and useful members of the committee, by whom 

 our attention was directed to it. 



" Stoughton, Nov. 16, 1859. 



"Rev. C. C. Sewall, Dear Sir, — The quantity of land which 

 Mr. Gay irrigates, is about eighteen acres. The main source of 

 the water used, is from springs rising from the foot of the hills 

 a short distance back of his land ; — though in times of heavy 

 rain, much water comes from the rising ground upon each side 

 of the lot, the ground rising for a considerable distance back. 

 The lot contains quite a variety of soils. Some of the higher 

 part is loamy ; some gravelly, and some inclining to sand. A 

 large proportion of the "whole, however, is composed of mud 

 and vegetable matter, varying from three to twenty inches in 

 depth. The subsoil is a hard, clay bottom, and all the lower 

 part of the lot too rocky to be ploughed to any advantage. 

 The land descends from the upper to the lower end of the lot, 

 and also from each side to the centre, sufficiently for the water 

 to run off readily ; thus forming a very favorable situation for 

 irrigation. Ditches have been cut on the outer edges of the 

 lot, so as nearly to surround it. From these, cross ditches 

 have been cut, so as to carry the water over the whole ground. 

 Besides the ditches, stone under-drains also have been made, to 

 take off the water from portions of the field where it might 

 otherwise remain too long. 



" The ditches in the spring are kept full of water, but no care 

 is taken to plough the land till about the first of May. Breaks 

 are then made in the ditches, and the water is distributed over 

 the land for three or four days and then removed. After an 

 interval of a few days, it is turned upon the land again. This 



