80 NATURAL HISTORY AND TOPOGRAPHY OF GROTON, MASS. 



Summary, Historical and Political, Of the first Planting, 

 progressive Improvements, and present State of the Brit- 

 ish Settlements in North America," first published at 

 Boston (Volume I. in the year 1749, and Volume II. in 

 1753), says: — 



Near Boston and other great Towns, some Field Plants which 

 accidentally have been imported from Europe, spread much, and are 

 a great Nusance in Pastures, ... at present they have spread Inland 

 from Boston, about 30 Miles (II. 207). 



According to this statement, the pioneers of some of these 

 foreign weeds had reached Groton near the middle of the last 

 century. Dr. Douglass gives another fact about the town 

 which is worth preserving. He says : — 



There are some actual Surveys of Extents which ought not to be 

 lost in Oblivion ; as for Instance, from Merrimack River due West to 

 Groton Meeting House are 12 Miles; from Groton Meeting House 

 (as surveyed by Col. Stoddard, Major Fulliam, and Mr. Dwight, by 

 Order of the General Assembly) to Northfield Meeting- House W. 16 

 d. N. by Compass, are 41 Miles and half; from Deerfield Meeting- 

 House near Connecticut River, a little higher [lower?], to Albany 

 Church upon the West Side of Hudson's River, W. 12 and half d. N. 

 are 57 Miles 20 Rod. From such actual Surveys the publick Roads 

 may be laid out to better Advantage than at present : For Instance, 

 the present Road from Boston to Albany (this is the Road to Mon- 

 real in Canada) by Way of Springfield, the Housatonicks, and 

 Kinderhook is about 200 Miles ; a new and better Road, but not as 

 yet well improv'd, is via Lancaster and Nichawog [Petersham] to 

 Sunderland upon Connecticut River 84 Miles, and from Deerfield a 

 little higher to Albany are 57 Miles, being in all only about 150 Miles 

 (I. 425 note). 



Such surveys, as those mentioned in this extract, before 

 the days of railroads, were of more value to the public than 

 they are now ; but, as the author says, " they ought not to be 

 lost in Oblivion." 



