RECLAIMED MEADOWS. 103 



cords of such manure as a poor farmer might ahuost be forgiven 

 for coveting. In passing, we would commend Mr. Bradley's 

 manure-making establishment to the attention of your committee 

 on manures. 



We recommend that Mr. Bradley receive your first prcimum 

 of fifteen dollars. 



John Keely. 



Statement of heverett Bradley. 



The meadow that I offer for premium contains about eight 

 acres. In the winter of 1857-8, I cut the wood and bushes, 

 paying one dollar per cord, including the cutting of the bushes. 

 It averaged ten cords to the acre. Early in the spring of 1858, 

 before the frost was out of the meadow, the wood was drawn off 

 and the bushes burnt. The deep part of the meadow averages 

 eight feet ; but in some places we have thrust a pole eighteen 

 feet into the muck. This part was thoroughly drained by open 

 ditches six feet deep, five and a half feet wide at the surface, 

 sloping to the bottom. The other part, averaging about two 

 and a half feet deep, was also drained by similar ditches, but 

 smaller. I paid for the ditching from twenty-five to thirty 

 cents per rod. The muck taken out was mostly carted to the 

 yards. 



I had no intention of reclaiming this meadow until the 15th 

 of May. At that time the manufacturing business was nearly 

 suspended in the neighboringcity of Lawrence. At the corners 

 of the streets stood anxious groups of laborers wishing for work. 

 I put up a notice that twenty-five able-bodied men were wanted 

 to work on the Bradley farm. The next morning came scores. 

 I picked out fifty stout, hardy men, and marched them to the 

 field of action, where we won one of the hardest fought battles 

 of a similar nature in Essex County. The contest ended Satur- 

 day night, July 3d. 



The deep part of the meadow, containing four acres, was 

 completely peeled. The rind, consisting of stumps, roots, moss, 

 vegetable matter, &c., was piled up and burnt. The other part 

 also, containing four acres, together with four acres of upland 

 adjoining, was grubbed, making in all twelve acres — all of 

 which was peeled and grubbed or ploughed, entirely by manual 

 labor. 



