AND WHEKE TO FIND ONE. 131 



being now of opinion that he might be able to plough 

 it in the spring. 



When spring came, he did succeed in ploughing 

 nearly all the underdrained half, then limed it, 

 planted corn, and raised the first crop that that 

 swamp had ever produced. The corn was so large as 

 to be an amazement to the neighborhood. It exceeded 

 the yield of the upland on both sides of his line, 

 and settled the question as to the profitableness of 

 reclaiming swamp lands. 



The young owner was so much encouraged by his 

 success that, after getting in his corn, he immediately 

 proceeded to underdrain the remaining half. The fol 

 lowing spring it was dry enough to be all ploughed. 

 He then limed it, and at the proper season sowed 

 buckwheat, securing a crop quite as heavy as any 

 of his neighbors. These first crops were regularly 

 succeeded by others, and they were invariably good 

 ones. In time, as the vegetable mould decayed, the 

 soil became loose and of remarkably easy cultiva 

 tion, while in richness it far exceeded that of the 

 best upland in the neighborhood. It needed no 

 manure. The more it was turned up to the sun, the 

 drier and more friable it became. Fruit trees were 

 planted and flourished, and strawberries were grown 

 in the rich new soil with astonishing success. It 

 seemed to be the very home for cabbages, turnips, 

 and celery ; and there is now as little prospect of its 

 relapsing into swamp land as there was. ten years 

 ago, of its graduating into arable land. It could be 

 sold any day for 120 an acre. 



So much for its marketable value, but now for the 



