218 THE YEAR-BOOK OF AGRICULTURE. 



This trial shows that 33 Ibs. of carrots are not quite equal for milk to 50 Ibs. flat turnips, or 

 3 Ibs. of Indian meal. The cows in all the trials had free access to water. 



December 10, 1851, commenced feeding 1 cow, 72 months old; one ditto, 96 months old; 

 one ditto, 48 months old ; 5 heifers, 32 months old ; 7 heifers, 22 months old ; 4 calves, 9 

 months old; and 4 calves, 8 months old. These cattle weighed, live weight, 14,567 Ibs., 

 and were fed 5 days on 277 Ibs. of cut hay daily, and drank daily 887 Ibs. of water; dropped 

 daily, 668 Ibs. of solid manure, or 2-41 Ibs. of manure for 1 Ib. of hay consumed. 



Second trial commenced December 16, 1851. Fed same cattle five days on 352 Ibs. hay 

 daily; solid manure dropped daily, 860 Ibs., or 2-44 Ibs. for one Ib. of hay consumed; 

 drank daily, 868 Ibs. of water. 



February 28, commenced feeding one cow, 72 months old ; one ditto, 96 months old ; and 

 one 48 months old ; 3 heifers, 32 months old ; and 6 heifers, 22 months old. The live weight 

 of these cattle was 9472 Ibs.; they were fed 5 days, 240 Iba. cut hay daily; solid manure 

 dropped daily, 594 Ibs., or 2-47 Ibs. of manure for one Ib. of hay consumed. Drank daily 

 542 Ibs. water. 



Hay consumed in the three trials 869 Ibs. 



Manure dropped " " 2122 " 



The proportion of manure to hay is as 2-44 Ibs. of manure to one Ib. of hay; the manure 

 weighed 50 Ibs. the cubic foot. 



Manure, after remaining under my barn one year, weighed 44 Ibs. the cubic foot a loss of 

 6 Ibs. in one year, or 12 per cent, of its weight when recently dropped. 



Experiments in Reclaiming Swamps. 



THE following detail of experiments in the reclamation of swamp-lands has been communi- 

 cated to the Journal of the United States Agricultural Society by J. W. Procter, Esq., of Dan- 

 vers, Massachusetts : 



Experiment No. 1 by S. JBlaney, of Salem. 



The locus in quo of this operation is situated among the sienite hills in the western part of 

 the city. It contains one and a half acres, extending forty rods in length, and varying from 

 five to ten rods in breadth ; the borders irregular, with here and there a ledge of rocks ob- 

 truding. Eight years ago it was so densely covered with a growth of alders and blueberries, 

 as to be almost impenetrable to man or beast ; especially at those seasons of the year when 

 the water was on. At that time the bushes were cut, and it remained without culture or 

 product until 1852. Mr. B., then becoming the owner, set about bringing it into use. 



His first operation was to cut a ditch through the centre, down to the hard pan ; the mud 

 from which was taken to the upland for the purpose of compost. Subsequently five or six 

 cords of refuse animal matter, collected from his wool-shop and a neighboring glue-factory, 

 were mingled with this mud, making a heap of about twenty cords. The roots of the bushes 

 and the stumps of the early growth of yellow birch were effectually removed. About two 

 hundred cart-loads of gravelly loam, from the shores adjoining, were carted on to fill the 

 holes and gullies. Then the sod was inverted by the plow to the depth of ten inches. The 

 surface was then pulverized and evened as far as practicable, and the heap of compost ap- 

 plied. About the first of September, 1852, it was sown with grass-seed, herds-grass, and 

 red-top. The whole expense thus far (all the labor having been hired by Mr. B.) is esti- 

 mated not to exceed $50 per acre. No other fertilizing material was applied. In July, 

 1853, at the first cutting, four tons one thousand one hundred and seventy pounds of hay 

 were obtained, which sold on the ground for $18 per ton. At a second cutting, three tons 

 more were obtained of a quality equally valuable making the entire produce, within thir- 

 teen months of the time of seeding down, sever* tons and one thousand one hundred and 

 seventy pounds ; or more than five tons to the acre ; paying for all the labor and material 

 applied, and leaving a surplus of $30 per acre. Mr. B. considers his land worth $300 an 

 acre, because it will sell for this amount. The surface presented now is as handsome 



