230 HAMPDEN SOCIETY. 



Expenses for 

 Labor, ploughing, &.c, - - - $3 50 



Seed, 1 00 



Harvesting, - - - - 10 00 



^ the interest on the value of the land, 



(there having been a previous crop of rye 



on it,) 7 50 |22 00 



Net gain, - - - - $61 33 



The directors award to 

 Miner Hitchcock, of Chicopee, 1st premium, of $2 00 



Josiah Hooker, of Springfield, 2d " 1 00 



Reclaimed Meadovi^s. 



Henry Ashley^s Statement. 

 The piece of reclaimed swamp to which I call attention, 

 contains three acres ; it was originally covered with wood, 

 brush and water. I first cleared the timber from the land- — a 

 ditch was dug around the foot of the hill about seventy rods, 

 to drain it. I commenced digging stumps with three men and 

 two yoke of cattle. In June, 1850, I burned over the ground 

 and commenced ploughing with two yoke of cattle and two 

 men, with a plough made expressly for the purpose ; the same 

 month sowed it to oats and stocked it down. In 1850, cut 

 three tons of mowed oats to the acre, and two and a half tons 

 to the acre, of grass. In 1851, a part of the three acres I 

 sowed to oats, in June, and stocked it down. In September, I 

 sowed a small piece to wheat. I have made an estimate of 

 clearing, ditching, digging stumps, and ploughing at fifty dol- 

 lars per acre. 



We award to Mr. Ashley, rather for his unyielding persever- 

 ance and determination in conquering the obstacles to his 

 future labor, than for the amount of improvement, the 2d pre- 

 mium, of $4. 



