than any other lands on the farm. In the most gravelly portions, 

 the increase of the value for grass is more than five hundred fold ; 

 and the whole of it, I consider, has more than doubled, if not 

 trebled, in intrinsic value. 



" The water of the brook passing through the farm is dammed, 

 so as to secure a sufficient head to carry the water in ditches on 

 each side of the stream below the dam, and is spread from the 

 main conduits over the laud, where it remains as long as neces- 

 sary, and is then shut off. I flow the grounds at intervals, at all 

 seasons of the year ; but when the grass is becoming fit for mow- 

 ing, the intervals are longer. * * * ^he animalcula in the 

 brook water are also a great source of fertility." 



It will be readily seen that irrigation can be practised only in 

 certain localities, and that the methods of conducting it must vary 

 with the nature of these locahties. The cost, however, need not 

 be great in any locality, and the experiment is worth trying, wher- 

 ever it can be properly made. 



We have seen only two places in the County where irrigation 

 has been practised to any considerable extent. One is in Franklin, 

 where the method adopted seemed to be most effectual and its result 

 profitable. But of this we have no account to present. The other 

 is the farm of Mr. Gay, in Stoughton. Of the method adopt- 

 ed and its results, in this instance, we have the following exact 

 account from one of the most hiteUigent and useful members of 

 the Committee, by whom our attention was directed to it. 



" Stougiitox, Nov. 16, 1859. 



" Rev. C. C. Sewall : Dear Sir, — The quantity of land which 

 Mr. Gay irrigates, is about eighteen acres. The n^ain source of 

 the water used, is from springs rising from the foot of the hills 

 a short distance back of his land ; though in tinges of heavy rain, 

 much water comes from the rising ground upon each side of the 

 lot, the ground rising for a considerable distance back. The lot 

 contains quite a variety of soils. Some of the higher part is 

 loamy ; some gravelly, and some inclining to sand. A large pro- 

 portion of the whole, however, is composed of mud and vegetable 

 matter, varying from three to twenty inches in depth. The sub- 

 soil is a hard, clay bottom, and all the lower part of the lot too 

 rocky to be ploughed to any advantage. The land descends from 

 the upper to the lower end of the lot, and also from each side to 

 the centre, sufficiently for the water to run off readily ; thus form- 

 ing a very favorable situation for irrigation. Ditches have been 

 cut on the outer edges of the lot, so as nearly to surround it. 

 From these, cross ditches have been cut, so as to carry t)ie water 

 over the whole ground. Besides the ditches, stone under-drains 



