108 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



in great measure a success, and an encouragement and 

 example to others in the county who possess such hinds. 



Henry Saltonstall, Chairman. 



u]S'dekdkaini:n'g land. 



ESSEX. 

 From the Iiej)ort of the Committee. 



The Committee take pleasure in calling attention to the 

 annexed statement of Mr. Gregory, and they suggest that the 

 farmers of the county might learn much, by a visit to his 

 farm, which cannot readily be put into this statement. Al- 

 though the work of underdraining is necessarily buried, still 

 its effects are plainly visible on the surface, and must be seen 

 to be fully appreciated. 



The Committee visited Mr. Gregory's farm on the 11th of 

 October, after heavy rains, when they found the low muck- 

 lands so well drained, that they were in good condition for 

 any treatment — some of this land, with crops of cabbages still 

 standing, and other parts covered with lately-pulled onions left 

 to be dried, where, probably, without drainage, they would 

 have been flooded. 



As will be seen by his statement, Mr. Gregory did not 

 enter a single piece of land of uniform character, but the 

 entire tillage-land on the farm, which comprises nearly every 

 variety of soil, the most of which he has underdrained with 

 nearly equal benefit to all. 



Underdraining may be classified as follows : — 



1. Thorough drainage. 



2. Partial drainage. 



3. Sufiicient drainage. 



The first, as the word implies, affects equally every part of 

 the land, — has no open ditches, and but one " outlet." It 

 usually requires the services of an engineer, and is a very 

 nice and somewhat expensive piece of work, — as, for instance, 



