76 ON GRAIN AND MIXED CROPS. 



constantly or periodically, as shall prove to be most ad- 

 vantageous. This may be done sometimes by the plough 

 alone. But this is not the great business of irrigation. 

 The great and extended business of irrigation belongs 

 to flat lands, where the land can be raised in ridges, by 

 the plough or otherwise, and the water let on or off at 

 pleasure, by conducting it over the lands on the ridges, 

 when necessary for the supply of moisture ; and like- 

 wise by diking and ditching, so that for certain portions 

 of the year, the lands may be flowed, and other parts 

 drained. This can be done by flood-gates when the 

 tides will serve, on the borders of the sea, and by dams 

 and sluice-ways, at a distance from the sea, the details 

 of which will be found in works upon the subject. 



Large quantities of barren land, have, by these means 

 been made very productive, in the old countries, whose 

 rivers accommodated ; in one instance, between four 

 and five hundred acres in one operation, were success- 

 iiilly reclaimed and made productive, by diverting the 

 waters of a turbid stream over them. 

 For the Committee^ 



R. A. MERRIAM. 



ON THE CULTIVATION OF GRAIN AND MIXED CROPS. 



The Committee on mixed and grain crops respectfully 

 report : 



That three entries for premiums have been made, 

 and as the several crops of grain, by the statements 

 hereto annexed, were very large, the claimants are, in 

 the opinion of your Committee, respectively entitled 

 to the first premiums. They accordingly recommend 

 that there be awarded : 



To William Bartlett, of Newburyport, for a crop of 

 Indian corn, the first premium, $8 00 



To J. Hammond Coggeshall, of Lynn, for a crop 

 of barley, the fitst premium, 8 00 



To Paul P. l^illsbury, of Andover, for a crop of 

 oats, the first premium, 8 00 



