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drainage had been installed in many places years ago by the land- 

 owners and hay-cutters, with a view to improving the quality 

 of grass, but their work was not complete enough to obtain 

 results necessary for mosquito elimination, and very rarely had 

 the drainage systems been maintained. In most cases, therefore, 

 we have been able to install systems which do not conflict with 

 previous work and in such a manner that the ditches do not 

 seriously interfere with cutting hay with mowing machines. 



The cost of this work for the three years, not including over- 

 head charges, has averaged $4.00 per acre for a total of 12,000 

 acres. The average cost has, of course, been reduced greatly 

 during the past year by the use of ditching machines by Com- 

 mission forces, so that the average cost the first two years was 

 much higher. Analysis shows that the first year, or portion of 

 a year from June 1st to December 1st, 191 3, $14,871.00 was 

 spent for salt-marsh drainage: in the county, which resulted in 

 the drainage of approximately 2,850 acres at a cost of $5.22 

 per acre. The Commission work in this period amounted to 

 204,365 lineal feet installed by contract at 2^3 cents per foot and 

 the balance by the State on a $10,000 contract. 



The second year 579,567 lineal feet were dug by county con- 

 tracts, the price varying from 2.2 cents to 2^4 cents per foot and 

 averaging about 2^3 cents. The State that year installed 136,000 

 lineal feet at a cost of 2 1 / 6 cents per foot. The work resulted 

 in the partial drainage of approximately 4,000 acres of salt 

 marsh at a, cost of $4.08 per acre. To complete the drainage of 

 the above area by a sufficient amount of spur ditching, and filling 

 of holes, the expenditure of $2,700 was necessary, bringing the 

 cost to $4.75 per acre. 



In considering the figures it must be borne in mind that the 

 area measurements includes small waterways, such as creeks 

 and streams, and sections of meadow where only a small amount 

 of ditching is necessary. An acre of bad breeding meadow has 

 been known to cost $14,001 for drainage at the above prices for 

 ditching. At the same time the large areas of salt marsh where 

 no drainage is necessary have not been considered as yet in the 

 average cost per acre. 



