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NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



IMPROVEMENT OF MEADOW AND Notwithstanding much has heen done by these 

 SWAMP LANDS. gentlemen, and evidence conclusive given of what 



The vast extent of unproductive meadow lands can be done by proper attention, still the propor- 

 every where to be found in the vallies of New Eng- tion of what has been reclaimed, to what remains to 

 land, awakens the inquiry what can be done fov be so, is so small, that the casual passer by might 

 their redemption 1 From time to time, we have not be conscious that any improvements had been 

 witnessed experiments for this purpose, more or' attempted. Many are deterred from engaging in 

 less successful, but still, a large proportion of these this class of improvements, under the apprehen- 

 lands remain comparatively valueless. That they : sion, that the expense incident thereto will be 

 are capable of being rendered as productive as any disproportionate to the benefits. Such need not 

 lands on the farms, has been too often demonstra- be their apprehensions, if the facts related by the 



ted, by actual experiment, to admit of doubt. 

 What is necessary to be done to secure this 1 In 

 the first place, the superabundant water should be 

 effectually removed and shut off from the land. Un- 

 til this is done, no permanent benefit can be estab- 

 lished. It matters not how deep may be the soil, 

 or how rich its constituents, if surcharged with an 

 excess of moisture, such moisture will even be fa- 

 tal to vegetable products. None more so, than the 

 cold water that comes in from the upland springs. 

 In repeated instances have we known the labor of 

 years to be lost, by a neglect of cutting off these 

 cold springs. Whoever therefore would redeem 

 a swamp, should take care that all supplies of wa- 

 ter from the shore should be effectually cut off. 

 If other ditches need to be made, let there be one 

 main channel for the water, and other collaterals, 

 until the soil is so consolidated that it can be tilled. 

 Much more can be effected in this way, than by 

 bringing on material from abroad, such as sand or 

 gravel, tho4%h a mixture of this kind of material 



persons before named, are to be relied on. We 

 particularly remember the meadow reclaimed by 

 Mr. F. Brown, of Saugus, an account of which was 

 published ten years since by that careful observer 

 of facts, Mr. H. Colman, in which several acres of 

 land of first quality were secured, over and above 

 all incidental expenses. Not unlike this, is the re- 

 cent experiment of Mr. Ware, of Marblehead, in 

 which a worthless sunken morass, of about three 

 acres, was in the space of two years converted in- 

 to a field of English grass, permanent and beauti- 

 ful as any other — worth at least, two hundred dol- 

 lars an acre. The illustrations here given have 

 been drawn chiefly from those fields that have 

 come within our own personal observation. Oth- 

 ers, equally pertinent, without doubt, can be 

 found in other sections. If we have been so for- 

 tunate as to impress the owners of this class of 

 lands with a sense of their duty to themselves and 

 to the public, to endeavor to reclaim them, and 

 thereby convert, what is now just cause of offence, 



with the mud is often beneficial. But such cover- 1 exhaling miasmatic effluvia to the annoyance of all 

 ing will be found quite ineffectual, in a few years, around, into fields of luxuriance and plenty, we 

 Where the water is, . s hall have done a good service in the community. 



if the water is not removed. 



the meadow and sour grasses will spring up — and 

 it cannot be otherwise. 



Much depends upon the characteristic of the 

 mud in different meadows — these vary quite as 

 much as the soils upon the upland adjoining. Some 

 kinds of mud, we have known taken from the mea- 

 dow and applied directly to the upland, with an 

 effect upon the growing crops equal to that of a 

 dressing of manure. But generally, such mud is 

 made more effectual by being frozen before it is ap- 

 plied ; and often it is beneficially used in the for- 

 mation of composts. 



Several farms, within our knowledge, have more 

 than doubled their crops, within the last dozen 

 years, by a judicious application of compost formed 

 chiefly froiji the mud of swamps. Judging from the 

 papers that have appeared, by the transactions of 

 the several Agricultural Societies of the county, in 

 no part is more attention paid to the reclaiming 

 of meadow lands, than in the county of Essex. 

 The experiments of Messrs. Bradley of Methucn, 

 Marland of Andover, Newhallof Lynnficld, Brown 

 of Saugus, Porter of Wenham, Kimball of Boxford, 

 Ware of Marblehead, West of Haverhill, and King 



We know not how the interests of all could be bet- 

 ter served. 



RURAL LABOR. 



We have observed Farmers and Mechanics in 

 the prime of life, seemingly bowed to the earth 

 with excessive toil, apparently almost worn out 

 with hard and unremitted labor. Now we can 

 hardly believe this is necessary to obtain the or- 

 dinary comforts of life ; if it is, then the hus- 

 bandman's avocation is indeed a hard lot. But is 

 this hardship inevitable ; is it not owing to cir- 

 cumstances within the limit of mitigation 1 Has 

 want of economy anything to do with it ; has in- 

 temperance or extravagance in any of your house- 

 hold anything to do with it 1 



These questions admit of answers ; if in the 

 affirmative, the remedy may yet be within your 

 reach. If in the negative, then we will pursue 

 the inquiry farther. Has unavoidable misfortune 

 brought you the sad necessity of this endless toil ? 

 If so, then you deserve, and you have our sympa- 

 thy. But is the strong desire to amass wealth the 

 incentive to this extraordinary self-denial 1 Then, 

 " What doth it profit a man to gain the whole 

 world and lose his own soul." 



But we have often observed that it is not the 



indolent or careless man, who exhibits these un- 

 of Dan vers, are full of instruction on this subject. | mistakable marks of premature old age. But it is 



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