I07 



Work on the large piece was commenced in 1870 and has been 

 continued to the present time as opportunit}' offered. The deep, 

 wet footing-, the ahnost impervious bramble thickets, and the 

 size and toughness of the stumps and buried logs made the 

 task as difficult as could be found anywhere. Ditches were to 

 be dug, bushes and brambles cut out and destroyed, hassocks 

 leveled, stumps and tree trunks to be uncovered, cut to pieces, 

 raised and hauled off, and the piece converted from a nasty 

 jungle to a productive field. This has taken time and money, 

 and is not yet completed — the four and one-half acres being in 

 all stages from w^ork just begun on one side to the growing crops 

 on the other. Much of the wood and roots had to be burned 

 with the brush, but a good deal has been saved and sold or used. 



On the side of the piece first cleared, gravel from the bank 

 near by was carted on to the depth of three or four inches, over 

 the space of about one acre, a small quantity of fish compost 

 spread and harrowed in, and grass seed sown. Mr. Dane states 

 the produce of this acre to have fully equalled for the past five 

 years what it was when the Committee saw it, and estimated it 

 to be two and one-half tons of hay, some of the stalks being 

 over five feet in height. Grass seed has been sown on other 

 parts of the piece, which have been drained, cleared and leveled 

 but not graveled or manured, but the crop is sickly and of small 

 value. Corn and vegetables have also been cultivated, but with- 

 out much success. The soil of such a place is too sour and 

 cold to grow crops without the application of some amendment. 



Mr. Dane gives his outlay and returns on this four and one 

 half acres as follows : — 



Labor of ditching, getting off wood and stumps, grub- 

 bing up and gravelling, harrowing and seeding, - $230.00 

 Cost of Seed, .... . 9.00 

 Compost and labor of applying, - - - 8.50 



