RECLAIMED LANDS. 33 



a pair of wheels and cliained the plough to the axletree, and by 

 this means the oxen were enabled to travel on the grass, and 

 could keep above ground at least a part of the time. In this 

 way I succeeded in turning over about a quarter of an acre, and 

 having hauled some compost on to a part of it I planted a few 

 potatoes and a little corn. But although the potatoes came up 

 they grew but little, and as the season advanced, excessive wet 

 weather came on and the crop was nothing. A little corn was 

 seen to struggle for a feeble existence for a little while, but was 

 finally totally destroyed by the musk rats. I had commenced 

 cultivation too soon. The drains had not yet carried away 

 the surplus water, and the soil was not in condition to be 

 worked. 



But in the winter of 1863 to '64 I took the first step in the 

 right direction. One hundred and seventy-five loads of gravel 

 were carted from a hillside near by, and spread upon the sur- 

 face at an expense of twelve and a-half cents per load. Previous 

 to spreading the gravel I had spent one day in cutting off bogs, 

 so that the surface was left level and unobstructed. In the 

 spring of 1864 I spread nine loads of compost over about three- 

 fourths of the piece, and having harrowed it well sowed four 

 bushels of oats, six quarts of herdsgrass seed and five pounds 

 of clover. In the autumn I harvested a ton and a half of oats 

 for fodder, valued at $30 per ton. The cost of harvesting was 

 four dollars. 



In June, 1865, the grass was cut with a Kniffen mower, and 

 Was estimated at two tons on the acre ; the part not sown with 

 oats having been seeded down in autumn. The expense of 

 mowing was $1.25, and the raking and carting, $2. There is 

 now a crop of rowen on the piece estimated at fifteen hundred 

 weight. Nothing has been expended for drainage except the tax 

 of five dollars paid to the commissioners, who excavated nearly 

 two miles of ditch in the meadow of which this is a part. The 

 main ditch is eight feet wide at the top, and six at the bottom. 

 Two other ditches, four feet in width, empty into this, and 

 traverse the entire length of the meadow. As one of these 

 ditches borders the piece entered for premium on one side, I 

 have not found it necessary to make any cross ditches, the 

 ground being perfectly dry, and hard enough for a team. 

 5 



