131 



us who hire all such work done, are fortunate if tlie cost 

 does not double his figures. Mr. Connor went to consid- 

 erable expense in making an outlet for the water. A 

 long ditch had to be dug through another man's land, and 

 a bridge across a road was taken up and relaid. As 

 the land is drained wholly by surface draining, we suggest 

 to Mr. Connor in future, the great importance of keeping 

 the drains open — especially that the outlet does not be- 

 come clogged, either by dirt, roots of trees, or coarse 

 grasses. This is of the utmost importance, as through 

 one or two years neglect, the cultivated grasses will be 

 killed out, and rushes and other swamp grasses will take 

 possession. The writer is a firm believer in thoroughly re- 

 claiming these wet, boggy, and swampy places — land, 

 especially, near our buildings, which has been receiving 

 the deposit from the upland for ages, is too valuable to'be 

 neglected, or lay idle and useless. Judicious improve- 

 ments of this kind will pay the farmers of our county, 

 much better interest on the outlay, than western mort- 

 gages, or shares in some alluring speculation. In the 

 first place, it is necessary to remove all HtmnHiKj irater. so 

 that the land may not retain excessive moisture during 

 any portion of the year. TJiere must he sufficioU f((IL and 

 a good outlet, or this draining wet land will ultimately 

 prove a failure. 



For several years past, there has been a " Note " 

 inserted in the Committee's book, under the head of 

 waste land and underdraining ; thus : 



"The committee is instructed to ascertain hnw many, if any, reclaimed swamps 

 in this County have been abandoned or have returned to natural grasses. Per- 

 sons knowin-i' of such are requested to notify the Secretary or Committee." 



It is quite evident that the person through whose in- 

 fluence this note was first inserted, was not a believer in 

 reclaiming these wet places, or at least had lost faith in 

 its practicability. For one, I can sa}^ I have lost no faith 

 in it. Having practised underdraining in a small way for 

 over twenty years, believe now. that careful systematic 



