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fill partially with weeds and grass, that obstruct the ready 

 flow of water ; and hence tiiey require constant looking 

 after. But we believe tliat such care pays, and that, if 

 properly managed, these low lands can be made the most 

 productive and profitable of any. 



Almost any crop can be raised on well drained peat land, 

 if lightly gravelled, and manured properly. Mr. George 

 raised one of the finest crops of onions we ever saw, both 

 in quality and quantity, on a piece of peat land adjoining 

 that offered for premium. Such land is easily cultivated, 

 and horses can be employed by using bog-shoes. We be- 

 lieve that farmers wiio have such land, capable of drainage, 

 and reasonably near home, make a mistake, if they neglect 

 it for the cultivation of their upland. We hope that appli- 

 cations for this premium will in the future be more fre- 

 quent. For the Committee, 



JOS. S. BOViE— Chairman. 



STATEMENT OF JOHN H. GEORGE. 



To Essex Agricultural Society: — 



Statement concerning^ a piece of sivamp land comprising 



one acre entered for premium by Jolm H. George of 



Methuen. 



The piece which I offer for your inspection was bought 

 by me the latter part of August, 1883. It was at the time 

 covered with a heavy growth of maple wood and under- 

 brusii, in some places so thick that it was almost impossible 

 to get through it. It joined a piece of land previously 

 owned by me, so that drainage was a very easy matter. I 

 was obliged to cut but about twelve rods of ditch to com- 

 plete the draining of the whole piece, it having previously 

 had a ditch across one side and one end, the other 

 side extending to the upland. I first cut the ditch 

 across the side. I then had men clean out the 

 under brusli by cutting it out by the roots and piling it. 



