ESSEX SOCIETY. 49 



uneven, unproductive and worthless swamps may be converted 

 into a smooth and beautiful meadow, for less than forty dollars 

 per acre. 



We think, after reading the statement of Mr. Kimball, no 

 one need to be deterred from trying to improve his meadow, 

 because it requires such an outlay of capital. If many more of 

 the foreigners who are coming to our shores by thousands, were 

 employed like the one who improved this swamp, they would 

 do much towards developing the resources of the country. In 

 this way, they might do something towards relieving us of the 

 taxes which are imposed upon us for their support. 



We saw, when at Mr. Kimball's, that his cows and apple 

 trees were being benefited by his reclaimed meadow ; for in- 

 stead of feeding his cows upon coarse meadow hay, he puts it 

 around his apple trees, which gives them a smooth and healthy 

 appearance ; its usual effects upon cows need not be named. 



Mr. Ware's swamp is situated in Marblehead. Its proximity 

 to the sea shore and the large towns, enables him to obtain 

 manure from other sources than the stock of his farm. From 

 the appearance of this swamp we should think that it had 

 never produced a large growth of wood, and at no very remote 

 period, it formed a part of the pond. 



He thinks that when he lowered the water in the pond 

 three feet, the swamp settled two feet ; so that the pond is 

 not now more than one foot lower than the meadow. When 

 he has completed his ditches so that he can have the control of 

 the water, we think this meadow favorably situated for the pro- 

 duction of grass. We do not know what will be the effects of 

 the kind of^manure applied to this laud for coming years, but 

 the produce this year has been extraordinary, for seed sown 

 last spring. From what we saw, our impression is, that it 

 causes the grass to grow so fast, that it will not stand up, to 

 produce a large crop, but will have to be mowed often. This 

 will be no objection to one who is situated as Mr. Ware is, and 

 wishes to use his hay for making milk. We consider a 

 reclaimed meadow peculiarly valuable upon a milk farm ; as 

 the early cut hay and second crop will make a greater flow of 

 milk than well ripened hay. 

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