98 



ton, is crossed by a brook which drains the country to Farnbor- 

 oii<^h, and also from the district supplying Fleet Pond and the 

 mill streams there ; this brook runs through a considerable quan- 

 tity of very excellent meadow, the whole of which was drained 

 deep with tiles by Murrcl, thirty years ago, to Avhose enterprise 

 it owes its present good character, it having previously been a 

 swamp overgrown with rushes, and therefore unfit for mowing, 

 tillage, or pasturage." 



Having now briefly sketched the rise and advances of the art 

 of thorough drainage in England, it may not be deemed inappro- 

 priate to allude to its history in our own country. 



The first mention of draining in this country is found in an 

 " Essay on Field Husbandry," by the Rev. Jared EUot of Kil- 

 lingworth, Ct., and printed in 1748. Mr. Eliot was the son of 

 the Rev. Joseph Eliot, of Guilford, Ct., and grandson of the Rev. 

 John Eliot, of Roxbury, Mass., sometimes called '* the Apostle to 

 the Indians," — and was born November 7, 1685, graduated at 

 Yale College 1706, was ordained October 26, 1709, and died 

 April 22, 1763, aged 78. He lived on the road from Boston to 

 New York, and being a man of public reputation Avas frequently 

 visited by Dr. Franklin and other distinguished gentlemen. 



After congratulating his fellow citizens on " the considerable 

 progress made in agriculture," he remarks, " our country yet 

 needs, and is capable of greater improvements in the management 

 of our lands." First, " these coves and swamps adjoining the 

 salt marsh, though so low and flat, that they cannot be drained, 

 yet he designed by opening a ditch four feet wide and 70 rods 

 long, up the middle of the cove, to convert the borders of the 

 marslies, covered with rushes, reeds, brakes and bushes, into salt 

 meadow, to prevent the necessity of purchasing so much salt 

 marsh," for, " salt water kills trees and bushes root and branch." 

 The inference is that grass would succeed them. 



" The second sort of land is the low, sunken, having no commu- 

 nication with the marshes. Of this sort are three kinds, viz. : — 

 thick swamp, boggy meadow and smooth, even, shaking meadow, 

 this last being called cranberry marsh. He that would do any 

 thing to these lands must first see whether the mire be deep ; if it 

 be shallow and soon come to hard sand, clay or gravel, it will not 

 be worth while to expend cost on it." 



" Again, examine the fall. If tlie fall be apparent to the eye, 

 you may be satisfied, but if uncertain, try it with a level. If the 

 marsh or swamp be small and the drain costly, let it alone ; but if 

 large, though the main drain should be considerable of a charge, 

 that should be no discouragement." 



Low ground, thick with wood and brush will be most chargeable ; 

 bog meadow next, because the bogs must be cut up with a bog 



