106 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



IMPROVEMENT OF MEADOW AND SWAMP 



LANDS. 



MIDDLESEX SOUTH. 



Statement of Isaac V. Adams. 



The piece of improved meadow which I enter for premium is 

 situated in Little Cedar Swamp, in the east part of the town of 

 Hopkinton. As the improvements which have recently been 

 made upon this tract of swamp land have been fully described 

 in previous reports I will not repeat them here. 



This lot is fifty-eight rods long from cast to west, seven rods 

 wide at the east end, and five rods at the west end. As it is 

 bounded at each end by the main channel, excavated by the 

 Commissioners, (see Agriculture of Mass., 1865-6, page 35 of 

 the Abstract,) it was only necessary to cut a cross ditch on each 

 side connecting at each end with the main channel. 



In order to facilitate getting on to the lot, and to avoid the 

 expense of a bridge, the ditch was omitted on the south side for 

 about four rods near the middle, and as the water passes readily 

 from this point, both east and west, to the main channel, the 

 drainage is as perfect as though the two parts of the ditch were 

 connected. 



These cross ditches were cut in July, 1864, at a cost of thirty- 

 three and one-third cents per rod by contract. They are three 

 feet wide at the top, two feet wide at the bottom, and about three 

 feet deep. As these cross ditches are equally advantageous to 

 the adjoining lands, only one-half the expense should be charged 

 to this experiment. 



By the latter part of July the part of the lot on the east side 

 had become sufficiently dry to burn. I accordingly set fire to it 

 and got a most excellent burn. The sod was all consumed and 

 the ground left light and fine, nearly a spade deep. I sowed a 

 half peck of herdsgrass seed, and a peck of redtop, and harrowed 

 it in. The remaining portion was not dry enough to burn until 

 the last of August, at which time I set it on fire but obtained 

 only an indifferent burn. The grass roots were not near all de- 

 stroyed, and I was obliged to enter the lot with cutter, and puller, 

 and plough, and spend considerable time in tearing up the tough 



