218 



NEW ENGLAiS'D FAUMER. 



Feb. L'. 183 



hard ami rocky soil. If the benefit of liyking out meiit of Mr Henry Williams and his associates, 

 the sea can be established beyond a donbt, there j and the zeal with which this Was undertaken, no 

 will be an advantage couinion tu all. But those • experiment has been or could be better tested. — 

 to whom it is so very important, cannot place 



themselves at on uncertainty ; It would be unwise 

 50 to do — It becomes then proper to show, that by 

 frequent and well tried experiments, in many parts 

 of our country, the iniilbrni result of dyking out 

 the sea from salt marshes, has been decisively dis- 

 advantageous, producing after a few year's fertili- 

 ty, a state of barrenness, so much so, that scarcely 



riie plough was introduced, and many difl'erent 

 niode.5 of culture. The effects for a while were j 

 most promising, and far exceeded their expecta- 

 tions. In the full tide of which some of the large 

 proprietors sold out much to their advantage. But 

 a change was near at hand. Two or three crops 

 were had, and the land fell into irremediable bar- 

 renness. In this state it remained, the subject of 



ail instance is known, where the dykes have not i one and another experiment, till the parties gladly 

 been opened, and the land restored to the influx [opened tlie dike, and restored it to the course ol 

 of the sea, under a hope of regaining the original I the tides. It is now salt marsh as of old. 

 growth, and with the full conviction ihat the fail- I Gary, Pratt, Cheever, and others were incorpora- 

 uie was demonstrated. | ted in 1795, " to erect a dam in Chelsea to shut 



Before tlie instances referred to are quoted, it i out salt water, and improve the marsh." In this 

 may not be useless, to give some general descrip- case too the first crops were of great promise, and 

 tion of our marshes. First as to their depth — In correspondent efforts in different modes of culture 

 this respect from the information obtained, there were resorted to, till a sterility only relieved by 

 is a great difference. In Cambridge and its vi- 1 the fire weed, &.C. here and there appearing on 

 cinily about Charles river, it is said to vary from j the surface, induced the proprietors ti. give up the 

 4 to 7 feet ; In Maiden and Chelsea 7 to 14 feet ; ' experiment. The land was restored to the visit of 

 in Milton. Braintrec and at the mouth of the Ne- ! the tide waters and gives its product as formerly 

 ponsct there is, it is said, a greater depth. In ; of salt grass. Messrs Nickob, Blaney and others 

 crossing the marsh by the late construction of the ; diked out about 4 acres with like labour, and to 

 Kail Way, piles were driven from 10 to 16 feet j the same effect ; their land i;a3 been restored too 

 in depth. to the tide waters. 



In substance, our marshes are of a soft and j Several other experiments have been made. — 

 spongy texture, and in a great degree, to the , But as the effects have baen uniform in Maiden 

 whole e.\tent of their depth a mass of vegetable . and Chelso.i, we shall proceed to show how far 

 fibres. j this is confirmed by experiments elsewhere. 



If not subject to the same laws with the peat ! For the following well tried scries of experi- 

 moss of our Co^s, tliey yetresemblo them in many I i^cnts I am indebted to Mr Nathan Adams. By 

 particulars. First, the elements of which they are j the construction of the Medford Turnpike in 1803 

 i-ompo3cd appear to be of vegetable origin Sec- ' about 50 acres of salt marsh improved by him were 



ondly, thfiir texture in lamina, or their strata, with 

 their level surface, show a' gradual accumulation 

 of vegetable nntter — Thirdly, they »ro highly in 



diked out from the sea. The natural growtii 

 (Black Grass) bogan soon to fail and his thoughts 

 were of course turned to some mode of production 



flammable, when dry igniting and giving great '• in the soil. The first effort was to throw over it. 



heat. As these are the distinguishing principles 

 of Bog Peat, why may not these marshes owe 

 their origin and properties, to some pro.vimato 



surface two small streams of fresh water which 

 emptied on the marsh. The water was carried 

 in small trenches, and diffused with much care 



principle in the ver'etahle kingdom, is a question I over the surface, and then received into the lar 

 submitted for consideration. | original ditches, it passed into the creek, and, at 



It may here be mentioned, that in many parts of ^ last through certain artificial outlets to the sea. 

 our marshes, particularly those of Chelsea and I Tlie original salt growth continued a year or 

 Maiden, stumps are found, and large trees long I two only and then disappeared. The irrigation 

 since prostrated, and covered by the vegetable ac- | had little effect, and the surface soon become cov- 

 cumulatioii above them, in so sound a state of dis- 1 ered with weeds. The next effort of Mr Adams was 

 tinct preservation, as to be cut and split for the ! to burn the weeds, for whicli he took a good season, 

 hearth. i and scattered over the surface a large portion of 



The most ancient experiment to bo traced in j Herds grass and clover seed. The seed took well, 

 "Reclaimed Marshes" is a tract of about 200 , and for about two years, the crop of grass was 

 acres owned by Messrs. Floyd Harris and others good. But the land became more and more bar- 

 rsar Chelsea beach. From thi.s the sea was dyked ren. A last eflbrt was then made with a resolution 

 o'.:t more than ^ of a century since. It long af- worthy of better success, as the marsh was soft, 

 terwards remained in a state of nearly total bar- and of considerable depth, much of it 8 to 10 feet, 

 renness, probably from some doubt whether the abouf 1000 loads of gravel were carted on to a 

 sea v.-ould restore it to productive salt marsh part of it. The effect was to harden the mirsh, 

 again. About 14 years since the dyke was open- but not otherwise of much encouragement. Every 

 ed and it soon became valuable marsh. | effort having failed, and the land having fallen into 



It is certainly fortunate, tliat an error of tiiis the worst possible condition, the former produc- 



Bafiire, may be thus retraced — This marsh is of , tiveness was looked back to,with no small earnest- 



gre.it depth, with many stumps, &c. jness of desire, and about 10 years since, at some 



It next appears, that Doct. Aaron Dexter, late i considerable expense, it was restored to the usual 



President of the Mass Agricultural Society, Doct. 'course of the tides. 



Samuel Danforth, Henry Williams, Smith, and j One further attempt remains to be noticed, which 

 othejs in Maiden and Chelsea were incorporated jin its outset was noticed in our journals, and look- 

 in 1789 to dyke out the sea, &c. This was effect- j ed to with great expectation. But as to this, there 

 ed — They held a tract of about 800 acres of salt is some reason to suppose tlie operation has been 

 marsh, perhaps from the science of the first named, Ito confirm the preceding results. I allude to what 

 find from the intelligence and practical judge- ' have boon called the Sv/artwout Meadows in the 



stotc of New Yoik. When these were dikej 

 the magnitude of the subject and the suci 

 the first stage, few projects have been pr 

 in a more dazzling light. But in all thes: 

 the history of one seems too truly to apply 

 I have before me ajetter from an intelligi 

 tlemen in New York, in wliich the course ai 

 and situation described, appear so perfectly 

 son with what has taken place here, th 

 doubt can be entertained of a coincident rel 



" The appearance of the Swartwout M 

 indicates that the experiment of diking 

 proved successful, as both the great tract b( 

 the Hackensack and Paseaick rivers, as 

 that near Hoboken, are without culture or 

 and only covered with straggling weeds 

 crops of grain and English hay were ccrtail 

 for a year or two; — for such period of tij 

 vegetable matter on the surface seems to 

 them productive. But afterwards, the 

 comes loose and light, so tliat it scarcely pri 

 weeds to conceal its barren surface. Publi 

 ion, is here certainly strong against the fei 

 of rendering such marshes either fit for cull 

 [ or valuable for grass." 



It is not apparent that whilst the state 

 ; mentation or decomposition is going on, thi 

 i then only, a fertility is excited. — But whi 

 ! process is over, the surface becoming lig'j 

 I spongy, wanting tenacity and other pri 

 j which constitute a good soil, a state of ban 

 soon takes effect. 



The subject might be here submitte 

 judgement of your readers until some 

 supplying the deficiencies in soil, or sol 

 rors in past management were established. 



The strong call on proprietors of salt inar| 

 the vicinity of New Bedford, to adopt the 

 of diking there — nnd the like appeal made 

 member of the Agricultural Societv, for son 

 fort as to the extensive marshes between 

 and Salem, has induced a hope that somi 

 of these experiments which have taken plac 

 not be wholly useless ; they have been gettj 

 very obligingly furnished by the proprietors,' 

 convictions have been uniform on this subjec 



It may be that the results have not been s 

 iently known. If by their submission to 

 readers, any efforts of industry or entei 

 should be turned to more attainable object 

 a better knowledge acquired on this subj 

 shall be much gratified. Some further obs 

 tions on this subject, with your leave, be here 

 submitted. I am, yours, &e. 



Boston, Feb. 1, 18'27. JOHN WEL 



From Ijoudoii's Encyclopedia of Agncalht. 



OF THE ROTATIONS OF CROPS SU 

 BLE TO DIFFERENT DESCRIP JlOf i 

 OF SOILS. 



(Concluded froju page 212.) 

 The follo\Ting are examples of rotations £ 

 to different soils, as given in Brown's exec i 

 Treatise on Rural .Affairs. The basis of ever \ 

 tation, he says, " we liold to be either a bare \ 

 mer fallow, or a fallow on wliich drilled tu 'j 

 are cultivated, and its conclusion to be with «| 

 crops taken in the year preceding- a retur 'f 

 fallow- or drilled turnips, when of course a ' 

 rotation commences. 



Rotation for strong deep lands. Accordii « 

 this rotation, wheat and drilled beans are thec< 

 to be cultivated, though clover and rye-grass } 



