1847.] Long Island Farming. 47 



and resulted in a poor crop, very much shrunk and not over twelve 

 to fifteen bushels per acre. Since then I have mowed it three 

 years, producing about three tons good timothy hay per acre; 

 and pastured it one year, and has produced double what our up- 

 land does and where double the quantity of manure has been used. 

 The swamp grass having made its appearance, I shall plow it up 

 for corn this season and oats next season, and plow the oat stub- 

 ble in Sept. and sow timothy seed; clover does not answer, it 

 grows well but the winter throws it out and kills it. The next 

 attempt at another piece we plowed five acres in Sept. and left 

 during winter the same as the other, and during the summer oc- 

 casionally harrowing without putting in any crop; in the fall 

 we plowed again, and sowed ten quarts of timothy seed per acre 

 alone, which turned out well. I had twenty bushels timothy 

 seed, and the bottom being green made good hay, of which I had 

 ten tons, which sold after cutting at $'7 per ton in the field; the 

 seed sold for $4 per bushel — cradled the top and mowed the bot- 

 tom. This piece promises much better this the second season 

 than the last. 



Another piece of about six acres, where the bushes were thick 

 and large bogs, the whole had to be stubbed over; after heaping 

 and burning, had it well harrowed and sowed timothy seed, ten 

 quarts per acre, and six of clover seed, which has been in pasture 

 for four years, and affords double what any of my upland does. 

 This piece would not bear the cattle; that is, in many places it 

 mired. It has now become firm, and can be tilled with little 

 more expense than upland. I have planted corn on a small part, 

 which has done well: also buckwheat, but this falls, the ground 

 being too strong for it. Such as we have turned up a second 

 time soon becomes perfectly pulverized and is very light and easily 

 attended. I estimate the cost of tilling, ditching, &c., }§30 per 

 acre. The sample of yellow clay came from the bottom of a 

 ditch adjoining the upland, and when first taken out smells like 

 the bottom of a cow-yard. I spread some on the wheat, which 

 was perceptible in that crop and also in the grass-crops, and I 

 should like to have your opinion of its properties, and of the one 

 sent; it came from near the surface and extends over several acres, 

 and I do not know the depth, and also such of the others as you 

 think desirable to analyze. 



