DRAINING LAND. 209 



everybody, whether farmers or not. We have with us a gentle- 

 man who has had a great deal of experience in laying drains, 

 and who has written a work on the- subject which I think 

 most of you may have read with pleasure and profit, and I 

 would be very glad to have him speak upon the subject. I refer 

 to Judge French. 



Henky F. Feench, of Concord. Seeing the subject of drain- 

 age announced, I came in, hoping that I might gain some infor- 

 mation, as I have recently recommenced my agricultural life by 

 purchasing a farm in this neighborhood. I was not aware, until 

 now, that I should be called upon to speak. I have no objection 

 to talking upon the subject, because, as has been said, I have 

 given to it a great deal of attention, both theoretically and 

 practically. When I went to England, ten years ago, I was 

 charged by the person who then had charge of the Agricultural 

 Department at Washington to collect information upon that 

 topic, and I went out of my way a good deal to make the 

 acquaintance of drainage men in England, engineers and the 

 like, and to visit the best specimens of drainage that could be 

 found in Great Britain. Since then I have been constantly at 

 work upon the subject. I have always owned land, and have 

 constantly been practising. It is a subject that one can hardly 

 be expected to take up in a general way ; and if any gentleman 

 will suggest what particular topic connected with drainage he 

 would like to hear discussed, I should be very glad to be directed 

 in that way. 



Mr. Brown. I think the first thing we need to know in 

 regard to drainage, is what kinds of land need drainage ? 

 Some persons say, if you drain a sandy piece of land, you not 

 only do it no good, but harm. I think that is a very important 

 question, at the outset. 



Mr. French. Some people, I think Horace Greeley is one, 

 are of opinion that all lands would be benefited by draining. 

 I am inclined to think that is not so. Where no stagnant 

 water stands during the whole season, that land would not be 

 benefited by drainage. Any land, in which water stands at 

 any season, stagnant, within two or three and a half feet of the 

 surface would be benefited by drainage, somewhat. One of 

 the chief advantages is, that you lengthen the season. I am 

 speaking of New England, where the season is short, and we 

 27 



