SOLON ROBINSON, 1850 345 



fore his first operation was to make a careful survey and 

 estimate of cost, with the quantity of land to be re- 

 claimed, and its estimated value, and then make a dia- 

 gram, showing all the lines of leading ditches, to serve as 

 a complete guide for the overseer in prosecuting the 

 work ; for here, everything is done under the direction of 

 the proprietor. 



It was found, on examination, that to have the outlet 

 upon his own premises, required a ditch a mile and three 

 fourths long, and from 5 to 13 feet deep. This being done, 

 it took off a portion of the water so that hands could com- 

 mence clearing off the timber and bushes, which proved 

 to be a heavy job, as the ground was still so wet that the 

 bushes would not dry sufficiently to burn, and had all to 

 be piled upon fires previously kindled with light wood. 

 In the meantime, ditches were cut five feet deep through 

 the centre, and all around the edges, and in every other 

 direction where springs showed their waters ; as that 

 depth was found necessary in all cases to cut them off, 

 while the intermediate space was checkered with smaller 

 ditches, usually three and a half feet deep, to take off all 

 the surface water, and insure at least three feet of dry 

 soil. As the swamp would not sustain a horse, or mule, it 

 had, and still has, to be cultivated entirely with hoes ; but 

 notwithstanding the cost of reclaiming and the trouble of 

 tilling, the first crop was such as to promise remuneration, 

 and induced Governor Hammond at once to undertake 

 another swamp of 300 acres, of the same character as the 

 first. The growth of timber was sweet gum, tupelo gum, 

 red bay, poplar, short-leaved pine, and some others; the 

 soil entirely vegetable muck, lying upon sand. The third 

 swamp was the cypress pond before-mentioned, and ex- 

 ceeds any piece of land I ever saw for quantity of stumps. 

 This also required an outlet ditch upwards of a mile in 

 length, part of which is 20 ft. deep. How this is to be 

 kept from caving and filling up, is more than I know. To 

 drain the three swamps, in all 600 acres, has required 

 near forty miles of ditching, counting nothing less than 



