118 ESSAY ON RECLAIMING WET LANDS. 



been gratified, and the outlay not grudged. Yet, I think it would 

 be wise in those who are to get their living by farming, to exercise 

 their best judgment in this matter, and adopt such methods as will 

 be likely to insure a profitable return. If they make application of 

 theoretic rules, let them examine carefully the component parts of 

 the soil on which they propose to act : the depth and the vegetable 

 materials of which it is composed ; the character of the waters 

 which flow on it, and even the nature of the subsoil. It will not bo 

 expected that any one can, by anticipation, lay down specific gen- 

 eral rules to direct, in all cases, the proper mode of management to 

 be adopted in reclaiming wet meadows ; so numerous are the vary- 

 ing circumstances on which we must depend. Yet one unvarying 

 rule must be observed. The land must be well drained and the 

 ditches continued to be kept open and clear. Occasional top dress- 

 ings must be applied of such substances as have been found to prove 

 most successful. Thus managed, I would aver, that such lands may 

 be kept in good heart much longer, and produce more abundant 

 crops, at far less expense, than uplands generally. 



It is a matter of congratulation, that a very increased attention 

 is being paid, ef late, in our County, to this subject. A larger num- 

 ber of claims for premiums have been entered this year than usual, 

 and I humbly believe, still farther encouragement would be expedi- 

 ent. It is well known to the Trustees, and the Essex Agricultural 

 Society generally, that many thousand acres of meadow and svyamp 

 lands still here remain in their primitive state. But we are still ig- 

 norant of the precise extent, and of the various qualities of these 

 lands. If a scientific and practical survey of the meadows and 

 swamps of the County, could be instituted, as has been hitherto pro- 

 posed in able reports on the improvement of such lands ; could the 

 Society do better than by some such means to investigate this sub' 

 ject ? Able agriculturalists in former years, have entered into the 

 spirit of the subject. It was the theme and object of the Hon. Tim- 

 othy Pickering, the first President of our Society, — a man, eminent 

 in the councils of the nation, yet a practical farmer, who knew well 

 the theory of reclaiming waste lands, and whose active mind was . 

 ever on the alert to seek out expedients to improve wet meadows. 



Having attempted to treat on this subject, as much as possible, in 

 a practical view, there remains various considerations of a general 

 nature, that may be urged in its favor. Among these, the health 



