148 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



attendant annoyances ; and now in 1858, it is a pretty good 

 pasture, with substantial fences, and I think I may safely say 

 that it will pasture four cows decidedly better now, than it 

 would two before. 



Walpole, Sept. 27, 1858. 



UNDBRDRAINING LAND. 



ESSEX. 



Rej)ort of the Committee. 



Notwithstanding the very great benefit to be derived from a 

 judicious system of underdraining our wet, and necessarily cold 

 lands, and the very liberal encouragement the society has offered 

 for several years past, for experiments in this substantial opera- 

 tion, very little has yet been accomplished in the county of Essex, 

 in this branch of industry. We have the satisfaction, however, 

 to report, that this subject is receiving increasing attention ; that 

 a very considerable number of our substantial farmers ar& 

 taking the incipient steps in this direction, and we confidently 

 predict, tliat the next five years will witness results from this 

 method of improving our hill tops, as well as our valleys, which 

 at the present time we should hardly anticipate. 



Two applications have been made for the premiums offered 

 by the society for experiments in underdrahiing, the present 

 year. The claimants are James Stevens, of North Andover, 

 and E. G. Kelley, of Newburyport. Both pieces of land have 

 been examined by two members of the committee. The piece 

 of land offered by Mr. Stevens, containing about two acres, was 

 formerly — as will be seen by his statement herewith submitted — 

 unproductive and nearly valueless. The land is nearly level, 

 the inclination being so slight that the water must necessarily 

 escape ata very slow rate, even through a perfect water-course. 

 We should not therefore, imder such circumstances, expect to 

 find the result of the experiment so marked, as we should look 

 for on a greater declivity. Still, the committee feel that in 

 awarding premiums offered by the society, for experiments of 



