MEADOW. 13 



by a stone facing. Automatic gates are provided which permit the 

 egress of the storm waters, but shut the tidewater from the embanked 

 areas. Broad ditches accumulate the waters drained from the areas 

 and from adjacent uplands and the flow of streams is carried through 

 the meadows in dredged channels, frequently constituting the main 

 drainage way of the reclaimed area. 



The growing of grass for hay or pasturage is the chief utilization 

 of these embanked areas. It is a strong indication of the value of 

 these lands that such extensive works can be undertaken for the pro- 

 tection of lands devoted to no more intensive uses than hay produc- 

 tion and pasturage. 



Small local areas, near to market, have been used in southwestern 

 New Jersey for the cultivation of corn, tomatoes, cabbage, and other 

 garden vegetables. 



In southeastern Pennsylvania the areas of Meadow along the 

 stream bottoms were highly prized for the growing of grass in the 

 early days of settlement. Wherever possible the new farm was made 

 to include such areas, and small dams were constructed to spread the 

 waters of the stream over even larger areas of the bottoms. In 

 some cases the courses of streams were diverted to furnish additional 

 supplies of water for the Meadow and to irrigate uplands for the 

 growing of grass. Many of the older deeds to farm lands set forth 

 the particular days of the week upon which the owner of the pro^r 

 erty is entitled to the use of stream water for the flooding of Meadow. 

 Some use is still made of this Meadow and of the stream water for 

 the formation of irrigated upland mowing lands in this region, despite 

 the fact that the annual precipitation amounts to nearly 45 inches. 



A small proportion of the Meadow in other portions of the State 

 has been used for other crops than grass. Corn is most usually 

 grown among the field crops. Areas especially well located with 

 regard to market have also been used for cabbage. 



Large areas of Meadow are found in the lower-lying portions of the 

 tide-water section of Maryland. These lands in the majority of 

 instances lie at elevations of 2 feet to 25 feet above tide level and 

 consist of a compact, silty soil, are nearly level, and always poorly 

 drained. In its natural condition this land is covered with a dense 

 growth of sweet gum, several varieties of oak, chiefly white oak in 

 the original forests, and birch, dogwood, and other undergrowth. 

 Considerable areas have been cleared and used for the growing of 

 wheat and corn. Whiter wheat makes a very good growth and 

 yields from 5 to 20 bushels per acre. Corn is not so well suited to 

 the broad foreland areas and is liable to become severely affected by 

 the droughts of midsummer, since the poorly drained land bakes to 

 a solid mass at the surface. The yields range from 15 bushels to 35 

 bushels per acre, the latter yields being secured where the drainage 



