110 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



Statement of J, J. H. Gregory-. 



The unclerdraiuecl land I enter is located on the Glover 

 Farm, Marblehead, near the junction of the roads to Salem 

 and Lynn. The portions drained embrace several tracts ; 

 viz., gravelly loam, underlaid by hardpan ; muck meadow, 

 underlaid by clay ; and a strong clay soil, increasing in stitf- 

 ness, until, at a depth of about three feet, a good brick clay is 

 reached. An open ditch runs through the middle of the farm, 

 and the various drains open into this. The draining has been 

 done almost wholly by tile, a part the horseshoe, but mostly 

 the sole tile, as those having a bottom are called ; these 

 having been laid at depths from the surface varying from 

 three to four feet. In draining the gravelly portion near the 

 barn, I besfan about three hundred feet above the lowest 

 place, opening my drains about thirty-two feet apart, and 

 laying two-inch tile, which emptied at- right angles into five- 

 inch, the latter into the main ditch ; with this one excep- 

 tion, all the tile opened directly into the main ditch. The 

 entire length of tile laid was about four miles. 



Following directions given by theoretical writers, who drain 

 more on paper than on soil, I procured a lot of English drain- 

 ing implements, which proved utterly worthless in our hard- 

 pan, however well they might be made to work in the clays of 

 England. I found one of the greatest wastes of labor, which 

 greatly augmented the cost, in the habit my men had acquired 

 of diirsfinor wide ditches. The ditches having been excavated 

 at the required depth, a half of a hard brick was firmly set 

 where the ditch ended, and against this one end of the tile 

 was closely set to prevent the soil working in with the water. 

 The tile (those well baked having been carefully selected) 

 were placed end to end, as closely fitted as possible, until the 

 open ditch was reached. Small stones were firmly wedged 

 between each side of each tile, and the side of the ditch, to 

 keep them in line, and a forkful of eel-grass, which is almost 

 indestructible, dropped over each joint. When the quantity 

 of water to be carried ofi" was very large, small stones, to the 

 depth of three or four inches, were carefully placed over the 

 tile, and these were covered with eel-grass. The soil was put 



