ESSEX SOCIETY. 53 



mittee would recommend that the first premium, of twenty- 

 dollars, be awarded to him. 



The piece of land offered by Mr. Locke, is a low, flat swale, 

 consisting of a black sandy soil, with a natural growth, princi- 

 pally of the alder, a soil suited to that bush. The alder is per- 

 haps as easily subdued and extirpated as any bush we have to 

 contend with. After draining and cutting off the bushes, this 

 land could be worked upon with the oxen and plough. This 

 being the third crop of hay since the land was reclaimed, the 

 quality was probably not quite so good as in the other two 

 years ; some natural grasses were mixed with the English, al- 

 though there was a very good crop ready for the scythe. Mr. 

 Locke, not being the owner of the soil, had leased it for twenty 

 years, and was so well satisfied with his success, that he had 

 already another portion of the swamp adjoining, in progress of 

 reclamation, being planted with potatoes and vines, which like- 

 wise promised well. It will be seen by Mr. Locke's statement, 

 that the expense of subduing his land has been somewhat less 

 per acre than that of Dr. Porter's. We will take the liberty to 

 suggest to Mr. Locke, that we think such soils as he is at work 

 upon, will bear high manuring, and will make good returns for 

 the outlay. The committee are of opinion that Mr. Locke is 

 entitled to the second premium, of fifteen dollars. 



R. A. MERRIAM, Chairman. 



John Porter^s Statement. 



My meadow contains two acres and ninety-five poles, in- 

 cluding the ditches, which occupy a fraction over thirteen 

 poles of the surface. For many years previous to my pur- 

 chase in 1832, it was annually covered with water two or three 

 feet deep, from November to April, by means of a dam made at 

 the loAver end of the meadow, to connect with a natural ridge 

 of the adjacent upland. While the flowing was continued, the 

 yearly product of hay was large, averaging more than a ton to 

 the acre, but the quality was inferior. This meadow was very 

 wet, even in August, and all the hay had to be poled out, for 

 it would not bear an ox without miring, upon any part of its 

 surface. It was also very rough, abounding in hassocks ; and 

 small bushes, about the size of a pipe stem, began to make their 



