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believed in draining the springs only, his first piece of land, he 

 said, was underdrained about thirty-three years ago, and is in 

 perfect order to-day. 



Speaking of muck in bogs, Mr. Gregory said it was not, as 

 generally supposed, a wash from the surrounding hills, but a 

 formation from decomposed water growing plants. These 

 plants grow, die, and then half decompose, and the accumulat- 

 ing matter is muck. The deposit is very rapid in some places. 



In the general discussion, J. E. Page, of the Pickman (Lor- 

 ing) farm, Salem, David Warren of Swampscott, John H. 

 George of Methuen, O. S. Butler of Georgetown, H. G. Herrick 

 of Lawrence, G. A. Tapley of Revere, Warren Brown of Hamp- 

 ton Falls, N. H,, Aaron Low of Essex, and James P. King, all 

 having had more or less experience in underdraining ; their 

 statement gave a great deal of information as to details. 



Mr. Butler took a somewhat different view from other 

 speakers, stating that he did not believe that it paid in the 

 northern part of the county. The Topsfield meadows could be 

 easily drained, but the farmers there think it pays better to cut 

 the wild hay, worth $11 or $12 per ton, than to drain and cul- 

 tivate the land. Gravel, put on underdrained land, may im- 

 prove it, but it all disappears in from three to five years. 



The afternoon subject, "The Improvement of Pasture 

 Lands," was opened by Samuel Hawkes, of Saugus, who con- 

 sidered one of the best methods of improving pastures is by 

 keeping sheep in them, which would be profitable also, if it were 

 not for dogs. The second method is to cultivate and transform 

 them into fields leaving the bowlders. Another method is to 

 set out orchards on them, this he would not advise. Henneries 

 and piggeries have also been valuable in improving such land. 

 Pasture land is also especially adapted to the cultivation of 

 small fruits. Last and most important of all, utilize it for cows 

 which are sure to be benefitted, with improved milk, by having 

 the run of a pasture, even if the pasture is not improved. If 



