108 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



season was good and dry enough. In the first place, I ditched 

 and drained it; then cut off the bogs and dug out the stumps, 

 and burned the turf that was not wanted to level up with ; then 

 covered over with gravel two or three inches thick ; spread the 

 ashes, and spread on a good dressing of compost or barnyard 

 manure, and sowed six quarts of herds-grass, eight quarts of 

 red top, and four pounds of clover seed to the acre. I like to 

 seed about the first of September, if I can get ready ; but if I 

 do not get ready until the last of the month I should not sow 

 clover until spring. Bush and roll it. But with the sprout 

 land, I cut the bushes in July, and set fire to them about the 

 first of August, and keep it burning night and day by cutting 

 out the loose roots and stumps and putting them on the hard 

 ones until the middle of the stump is burned out. Then I cut 

 out the roots and put them on others ; thus continuing until 

 the piece is cleared of roots and stumps ; then I plough the 

 lii -her parts, and level up the low places, spread the ashes, and 

 sow the seed as before stated. Some pieces I have pla'nted 

 one or two years with corn or potatoes, which I think is the 

 most profitable. 



I have ploughed most all of those pieces which I reclaimed 

 before 1850, and planted with potatoes and corn, beans and 

 pumpkins, with good success, when the worms did not destroy 

 the corn. Turnips usually do well. Oats have large straw, 

 but blast. I had some good winter rye this year, which did not 

 blast. I sowed some once before, which produced large straw. 

 but no grain. 



I like to top-dress once in two or three years, in October, and 

 sow a little more seed if it is wet weather; if not, sow it in 

 March on the snow. But I prefer ploughing once in six or eight 

 years — seeding to grass in August. I like cutting the grass 

 early, and cut two crops for making milk. 



Clearing and preparing the sprout land, I think cost from $70 

 to £00 the acre ; the other parts from $60 to -$70 the acre. I 

 spread on, once in two or three years, a thin coat of gravelly 

 loam, and top-dress with manure. 



I generally dig ditches about five rods apart and three feet wide 



at top, one and a hall' at bottom, and two and a half deep. The 



main ditch for carrying off the water, runs on two sides of the 



dow, is about 150 rods in length, five feet wide at top, two 



