192 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. [Jan. 



X. Experiments with Grass Land, East Field Meadow. 



The field assigned for a permanent production of grasses 

 covers an area of from nine to ten acres. The main part of 

 the land is nearly on a level, running from south to north, 

 with a slight descent towards the north. The western side 

 of the field is bordered by a public highway, the eastern by 

 the new orchard of the station. Along the eastern side the 

 grounds are gently sloping towards the centre of the field, 

 and are here and there somewhat springy. The location of 

 the level portion of the field renders it liable to a temporary 

 overflow of water from the hillsides toward the south. 



The soil consists largely of a sandy loam of from two to 

 three feet in thickness, here and there resting upon either a 

 layer of hard-pan or of a coarse, gravelly material. 



The springy character of the eastern slope, as well as the 

 periodical overflow of water from the hillsides toward the 

 southern end of the field, without any adequate outlet to 

 regulate the supply of water from both sources, had 

 rendered the larger portion of the field an unsightly swamp 

 meadow, covered with a comparatively worthless vegetation, 

 previous to 1887. 



The general character of the surface soil, as well as the 

 apparent chances of regulating its state of moisture, prom- 

 ised to make the field, under proper management, in an 

 exceptional degree fit for a permanent meadow. 



The first attempt at improvement in that direction was 

 made in August, 1886, soon after the first cut of its growth 

 was harvested. The entire work required to secure satis- 

 factory results was carried out during two succeeding summer 

 seasons, on account of limited financial resources. 



After securing the outlet necessary for the accumulating 

 water, through the adjoining lands at the western termination 

 of the field, it was decided to run, from ten to twelve feet 

 apart, two parallel ditches from north to south, through the 

 lowest part of the land. One was dug from three and one- 

 half to four feet below the surface of the ground, to serve as 

 a main ditch for laying drain tiles six inches in diameter, to 

 prevent an accumulation and subsequent stagnation of water 



