WORCESTER SOCIETY. 165 



buildings, and passes on with its impregnated waters, some 

 eighty rods, where it empties itself on to a dry, warm, loamy 

 soil, spreading over two lots. The effects have been surprising ; 

 the crops having more than doubled ; besides, I have experi- 

 enced no inconvenience in having the drains from my buildings 

 stopped, as the water from above carries all the useless washes 

 along with it on to the hungry soil, instead of being left aroand 

 the buildings. 



My object from the first, was to underdrain lot No. 1, carry- 

 ing its surplus water on to lot No. 2, so far as needed, and the 

 remainder under ground, down through No. 3, using it for 

 irrigating several acres of my dry, warm land, laying some 50 

 rods below, where the effect has been wonderful. 



I intend all three of these lots to be used for what we term 

 natural mowing, by giving them, as often as may be ne- 

 cessary, a light top-dressing with compost. 



Inquiry has been frequently made. How much a rod do you 

 pay for cutting these drains ? What does it cost you to sink 

 your large stones ? For cutting about 600 rods of drainage on 

 my south lots, S^V feet deep by three feet wide, I have paid 25 

 cents per rod ; and larger drains in same proportion. For 

 sinking stones, the cost has been, for those as large as a cider 

 barrel, nine cents. 



Sutton, Nov. 29, 1852. 



Root Crops. 



The committee on root crops have attended to the duties as- 

 signed them, and in the examination of the crops shown to 

 them by the competitors, have taken great satisfaction. 



There have been an unusually large number of root crops 

 entered for the society's premiums, which has made the labor 

 of the committee rather onerous ; yet it has been a pleasant 

 service, and cheerfully rendered. 



While on duty, the minds of the committee would often re- 

 vert to the lamented Lincoln, whose labors as chairman of this 

 committee had been anticipated, but whose days were num- 

 bered and finished. 



