WORCESTER SOCIETY. 153 



provement on uplands. Mr. Dodge's farm lies in the north-east 

 part of Sutton, on a slope of land descending to the north, 

 and contains 100 acres. Lot No. 1 is on the south side 

 of the road, and contains 2 acres and 129| rods ; lot No. 2 is 

 on the north side of the road, and contains 4 acres and 115 

 rods; lot No. 3 is on the north side of the road, opposite No. 

 1, west of and adjoining No. 2. The general aspect of the soil 

 is black mould mixed with sand ; the subsoil is comminuted 

 sand mixed with clay, and is retentive of water. The improve- 

 ments claimed are for cutting brush, removing stone walls, 

 irrigating, and under-draining. The lot on the south side of 

 the road is 13 rods wide and 33 rods long, has a drain on each 

 side and through the middle, leaving the space between them 

 6^ rods wide. These drains are cut in the line of steepest 

 ascent of the land, with lateral drains running into the outside 

 ones at an angle of about 30 or 40 degrees, 6^ rods apart. 



Lot No. 3 has two drains cut across it in a diagonal direc- 

 tion, about 6| rods apart. The drains are all from 3 to 3| feet 

 deep, and filled with stones, which form a conduit to convey- 

 away the water. From the knowledge one of the commit- 

 tee has heretofore had of these lands, and from their present 

 appearance, it is evident that the improvements made upon 

 them by Mr. Dodge have added very much to their productions 

 and value. Where formerly grew nothing but brush or worth- 

 less herbage, now grows from two and a half to three tons of 

 good upland hay to the acre annually. The drainage water 

 from lot No. 1, on the south side of the road, Mr. Dodge uses 

 for irrigating lot No. 2, and some other land on the north side, 

 the effect of which is commensurate to that of the draining on 

 the south of the road, a part of it producing the present year a 

 good crop of oats, and the remainder from two and a half to 

 three tons of hay to the acre. Besides the improvement by 

 draining, Mr. Dodge is understood to entertain the opinion 

 that the saving of land by sinking his walls into drains, and 

 the advantage of large over small fields in cultivation, pays a 

 considerable portion of the expense. In this opinion the com- 

 mittee do not fully concur, believing that where stone fencing 

 material is plenty, small lots are preferable. Frequent fences 

 prevent the blowing away of the debris and other vegetable 

 matter always prevalent on the surface, retain the snow in 

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