On Salt Marsh. 255 



consequently less impregnated with salt, the sward is not 

 so tough, and sooner decays when drained : on this 

 ground the grass seed took root, and grew well, but four 

 months after the drains were cut, and one year after it was 

 enclosed : this was on lots over which fire had passed. 

 Indeed nothing more seems to be required to prepare 

 this ground for grass, than the simple operation of burn- 

 ing the vegetation on the ground, as early in the au- 

 tumn as it will take fire, sowing the seed on the sod and 

 harrowing well after : the addition of a roller would no 

 doubt be of service : in this manner, two lots, of about 

 ten acres each, were prepared last October, and sown 

 with wheat and rye, and when winter set in, no grain 

 could look more promising than it did : about four hun- 

 dred acres of this tract are now in timothy, which promi- 

 ses a full crop the next season : clover and herd- grass 

 thrive equally well on this ground. 



In a word, the result of our experiments, thus far, is 

 conclusive, that the least expensive and best mode of 

 subduing the sod of marsh land, and bringing it into 

 fresh meadow, is to let it remain a year, or more, after 

 it is banked and drained, then to burn the indigenous ve- 

 getation on the ground, and harrow in grass seed, or 

 commence with a crop of oats. Having tested the prac- 

 tice to our satisfaction, we shall pursue it hereafter, un- 

 til experience points out a better mode. 



It appears that we have about seven hundred acres, 

 now laid down with timothy, promising wtjjJJ, and that 

 six hundred acres more are in a state of preparation, and 

 will be laid down with grasses, in like manner, the ensu- 

 ing season : nine hundred acres, in addition, are embank- 



