MEADOW AND SWAMP LANDS. 



107 



places and getting all the sods loosened so that they might dry 

 and be consumed at the second burning, which was successfully 

 accomplished a few weeks later. I did not, however, seed down 

 this part of the lot until the autumn of 1865, when I sowed one 

 peck of herdsgrass and one-half bushel of redtop. The portion 

 first alluded to gave a good crop of English hay in 1865, and the 

 entire lot a good first crop and a fair crop of rowen in 1866, and 

 one fair crop in 1867. 



In the winter of 1867 to 1868 I covered the entire surface of 

 the lot with gravel, applying twenty loads, of twenty-five bushels 

 each, to the acre. This application of gravel improved both the 

 quantity and quality of hay, of which there was a good yield — 

 say two tons to the acre — in 1868. 



In the winter of 1868 to 1869 I applied twelve loads to the 

 acre (twenty-five bushels to a load) of compost, composed of 

 three parts sand and one part night soil, which is obtained at 

 the village three miles distant, and composted in a sand bank 

 lying conveniently by the side of the meadow and in sight from 

 this land. 



The condition of this ground previous to the commencement 

 of these improvements was like that of the entire swamp, wet, 

 cold and unproductive, too soft to admit of driving a team over 

 it. It is now so hard that the hay is cut and raked with horses, 

 no field in the county being better adapted to the use of machin- 

 ery than the level, unobstructed breadths of these meadows. 

 Wonderful, indeed, are the results of well directed labor. 



To intelligent labor how applicable are the words of the 

 prophet Isaiah, when he says : " He will make her wilderness 

 like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord." 



Expenses 

 Interest and taxes, . 

 Burning three times, 

 10 days ploughing, cutting sods, etc. 



1| pecks herdsgrass seed, 



1 bushel redtop. 

 Sowing, ..... 

 50 loads gravel, at 20 cents, 

 12 loads manure, . 



