246 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



reason, may serve advantageously in many instances for the 

 amelioration of its turfy sections. 



An abstract of the sand with diluted nitric acid gave quite 

 strong indications of the presence of available lime, maguesia 

 and phosphoric acid. I hope to be able, on some future occa- 

 sion, to present more definite figures. 



Having attempted, within the previous pages, to describe 

 shortly some of the important physical and chemical changes 

 which the marshes are at present undergoing, it remains for 

 me to report briefly the late history of the reclaimed lands, 

 with particular reference to the character of the present 

 natural vegetation, and the results of some agricultural im- 

 provements and experiments carried on during the past season. 

 For many of the subsequent statements I feel under particular 

 obligation to George M. Baker, Esq. , member of this Board 

 from the INIarshfield Agricultural Society, Avhose kind assist- 

 ance and liberal hospitality I have always enjoyed during my 

 visits to the marshes. 



The dike has done its business well during the past season ; 

 considerable work has been carried on in reo:ard to strenafth- 

 ening, raising and soddinj? it. 



The water of the creek has always been kept from four to 

 six feet below the surface. The past year has been unfavor- 

 able to improved crops ; the severity of the winter of 1874 

 killed some of the English grasses that had promised well 

 during the previous season ; and the drought of the late 

 spring affected seriously the grasses which had been seeded 

 down during the preceding autumn, as well as those which 

 grew spontaneously during the spring. Some two hundred 

 acres of grass were sown last autumn, and many acres during 

 the spring. 



The season was late and cold in its earlier stage, and turned 

 into a drought soon after, which lasted until the second week 

 in June. 



The salt grasses had almost entirely disappeared, and the 

 more valuable "goose grass" {Glyceria maritima) had made 

 its appearance more generally in many localities. 



Although less vigorous than in the previous season, many 

 acres gave promise of good crops. The lateness of the season 

 dela^'-ed the harvesting, and only a few acres were saved from 



