408 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The history of these once fertile meadows is only that of 

 many others in various parts of the State, though the damage 

 may have been more serious here than is usually the case, on 

 account of the conformation of the country and the extremely 

 level bed of the river. Instances of a similar character, 

 though, perhaps, on a smaller scale, will readily occur to 

 every intelligent man, where serious and lasting injury to the 

 natural products of the soil and to the health of the commu- 

 nity, is due to the impossibility of drainage except by the 

 removal of expensive dams or other obstructions. 



The time will undoubtedly come when the demands of an 

 advancing civilization will cause such obstructions to be 

 removed in many cases, and thus redeem extensive tracts of 

 sightless bogs, now lying waste and comparatively useless, 

 adding many broad acres to the area adapted to the production 

 of human food in this Commonwealth. 



CHARLES L. FLINT, 



Secretary of the State Board of Agriculture. 



Boston, January, 1875. 



