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It is indispensable that the water should be removed, and if en- 

 tirely, undoubtedly the better. The next step has generally 

 been to pare the surface and burn the sward and hassocks in 

 small heaps, and spread the ashes over the ground. Some per- 

 sons then have immediately sown their grass seed in abundance 

 and have gathered good crops. Others, as soon as it has been 

 thus prepared, have manured it plentifully with a compost ma- 

 nure mixed with a large proportion of loam ; and others have 

 given it a good dressing of mould or of sand. Others, after 

 draining the meadows, have applied a top-dressing of three or 

 five inches of coarse gravel directly upon the sward ; and then 

 have sowed their grass seed with a good coating of manure. 

 Sometimes, as in Groton, the land after being pared and burnt 

 has been broken up by a plough, and after being exposed in this 

 state to a winter's frost has been planted with potatoes manured 

 in the hill, and then laid down to grass. It is not easy, without 

 a personal knowledge of the premises, to point out the best mode 

 to be always adopted. The covering of the meadow with a 

 thick coating of gravel without removing th(3 sward is pretty 

 generally condemned, as in a short time the coarse grasses make 

 their appearance again. The application of coarse sand to a 

 certain extent is approved, as it serves to divide the vegetable 

 matter and to consolidate the meadow so as to make it passable 

 with teams. The paring and burning of the turf is always 

 an advisable process unless it be in a season of drought, when 

 the great body of peat might take fire and burn large and deep 

 holes in various parts. The application of mould and compost 

 manure to almost any extent is always beneficial, and grass seed 

 should be sowed very abundantly in order that the hay may not 

 be too coarse and that a thick and strong sward may be formed. 

 The taking of a cultivated crop at first is not so desirable as 

 to get the meadow as soon as possible into English hay, and af- 

 ter two or three crops it will become consolidated, and may then 

 be ploughed and cultivated to advantage. In redeeming meadow 

 land of this description, I have myself found an advantage in 

 making a large open ditch through the centre of the meadow, 



