DIKED SALT-MARSHES. 131 



Mr. Humphrey. I cut up my corn, and stook it, and as 

 soon as possible get it under cover. This year we had a 

 very remarkable season, and I think my fodder is as bright 

 as it could be. I never top the stalk ; for that I consider 

 labor thrown away. It is no advantage to the crop, and the 

 fodder is not so good, nor worth so much. 



Mr. Perry. Have you ever known good results to follow 

 from the use of artificial fertilizers on clay soils ? 



Mr. HuJMPHREY. That question frequently comes up in 

 our meetings. So far as my knowledge goes, on heavy, clay 

 soil the general complaint is, that the Stockbridge is a 

 failure. 



One word, if you will allow me, in regard to keeping hogs. 

 I would keep hogs if I did not get one mill for them, for the 

 work they do and the manure they make. 



Mr. Peterson (of Marshfield). Perhaps it would be 

 proper in this connection, as the matter of manure and 

 fertilizers seems to be a main consideration in farming, to 

 mention, that in my vicinity there is a large tract of land 

 that has been reclaimed from the ocean (and that is only 

 part of considerable land alongshore similarly situated), that 

 does not require an}'" manure to raise large, heavy crops. I 

 have been requested to make a simple statement in regard 

 to that tract of land in my vicinity which promises such 

 valuable results to the farming community ; and I am induced 

 to comply with the request, particularly for the reason that 

 I have seen, just below, a tract of land similarly situated, 

 which undoubtedly would produce like results, if the ocean 

 could be shut out from it. 



The marsh in my vicinity comprises about fifteen hundred 

 acres, which has produced nothing but salt hay for the last 

 seventy-five years or thereabouts. It has been diked, and 

 the water shut out. The depth of this rich deposit varies 

 from six to ten feet. Seed has been put on and harrowed 

 in, and the most gratifying results have been realized. Red- 

 top and Timothy yield three tons to the acre ; barley, wheat, 

 oats, and rye give very heavy crops ; turnips, carrots, beets, 

 potatoes, onions, melons, and squashes have been grown in 

 profusion, and all without special fertilizers : in fact, where 

 fertilizers have been applied, they have been without any 

 apparent benefit. I set out as an experiment, some tliree 



