ESSAY ON RECLAIMING WET LANDS. 115 



the trial of it, producing an abundant crop of grass. The sand, or 

 gravel, seems to correct some acidity incident to such soils, or they 

 supply some principle wanting to them. The precise manner in 

 which these substances act upon the peat soils, and the exact prin- 

 ciples each contain, we will not stop now to enquire ; let chemists 

 detsrmine these points, but suffice it to say, experience has shown 

 these importani results. 



It will be perceived, that I rely more on the tests of experience 

 than on theory, but in many instances the one will corroborate the 

 other. Experience has shown that sand, gravel, lime, ashes, &c., 

 .. are absolutely necessary to produce fertility on peat lands ; it is 

 shown as well in hoed crops, as in those lands laid down to grass. 

 These peat lands, well drained, and made smooth by cutting off the 

 protuberances, or humps, and covered with gravel, say 150 loads to 

 the acre, will produce, if sowed, more grass and hold out longer, 

 than that laid down after a hoed crop, and being also well ploughed, 

 with the sward well rotted, where no gravel has been spread. It 

 seems by these results, that the theory proves true, that the alkalies 

 supplied by the substances I have mentioned, render the peat soil 

 almost a bed of manure. 



I wish to call the attention of our practical farmers particularly 

 to this subject. I should wish them to ascertain, by actual experi- 

 ment, the true value of those peat lands, now almost wholly unpro- 

 ductive ; I mean not those peat lands suitable for the digging of 

 peat for fuel, such as is firmly bound together by fibres, and make 

 good fuel, for such land, in most localities in our County, will readily 

 sell at two dollars per square rod ; and the top being thrown in, 

 where the peat is taken out, will produce in a short time more than 

 double its former value in coarse fodder. I wish them to convince 

 themselves, that they have no lands of comparative value with these, 

 which are often the rich depository of the wash of their other lands. 

 Experiments may first be tried on a very small scale. Many farm- 

 ers now yearly haul a few cart loads of soil or loam on to some bog 

 near the house, for a garden, and I have never seen any garden 

 Spots more productive, bearing the drought better than upland, and 

 good, even in wet seasons, for vines or roots, for culinary purposes. 



I have spoken of the various ingredients for spreading on wet 

 lands or peat meadows, such as sand, loam, gravel, &c., as possess- 

 ing fertilizing qualities, but perhaps they do not, properly speaking, 



