ON MEADOW AND SWAMP LAND. SB 



about ten acres, which he has improved by clearing the bushes, trees 

 and stumps, and rendered productive of good crops, as -will be seen 

 by his statement, which is herewith transmitted. The ground appear- 

 ed to be more of the character of upland than otherwise, and it was 

 thought that the improvement did not come within the province of a 

 committee on wet meadow and swamp land. The method of ex- 

 tracting stumps, adopted by Mr. Pitman, seems to be worthy of at- 

 tention. 



The Committee have received an interesting communication from 

 the Rev. Edwin M. Stone, of Beverly, on the subject of reclaiming 

 meadow and swamp lands, Avhich the Committee respectfully request 

 may accompany their report, and be published in the Transactions 

 of the Society. 



For the Committee, 



J. NEWIIALL. 



Lynnfield, November 1st, 1846. 



JAiMES MARSH'S STATEMENT. 



To the Committee on Meadoiv and Swamp Land : 



Gentlemen, — The piece of reclaimed meadow, to which I ask the 

 attention of the Committee, contains about four acres. A foAv years 

 since, it was considered worthless, not havin'g been mowed for many 

 years, and then but a small part, for litter. About half was covered 

 with bushes and stunted maples. About six years since, I commenc- 

 ed reclaiming, by inverting about six rods and spreading a light dress- 

 ing of compost manure, and sowed grass-seed about the last of May : 

 this exceeded my most sanguine expectations, both in the quantity 

 and quality of the hay to the present time. The next year, I ploughed 

 half an acre of the hardest part, by attaching a plough to a pair of 

 wheels, so that the oxen might walk on the sward. This I planted 

 with potatoes ; and after they were dug, the ground was leveled and 

 prepared for grass, which was sown on the snow in March. The 

 piece of land to which I would ask your attention, contains one acre. 

 In the winter of 1839, I cleared the wood and bushes, and have 

 shice kept the sprouts down by mowing. In August, 1843, I hired 



