ON RECLAIMED MEADOW LANDS. 89 



tures can be improved six fold, as I have often seen them, then 

 there will be six times the droppings from the cattle, and who 

 has not seen the good effect of the droppings of the cattle, 

 especially the liquids ? It may be seen for years. 



I would earnestly reccommend that farmers give gypsum a 

 fair trial, not only on one piece of land, but on different parts 

 of the farm, for although it may not benefit one piece of land, 

 it may an adjoining piece. On the whole, I know of no bet- 

 ter way than to improve the best pasture land so far as the 

 extra income will pay the expense. Those old worn out pas- 

 tures that cannot be improved without an occasional draft on 

 the purse to pay the expense, over and above the income, may 

 as well go for wood, if wood will grow on them ; if not, let 

 them remain as they are, until they can be turned to some bet- 

 ter purposes. 



In closing, I would again say, as I have before said, that it 

 is an important subject, and I am gratified that a premium has 

 been offered, although there has been no application for it. I 

 hope that the suggestions here made will be the means of in- 

 ducing others who have had more experience than myself, to 

 use the pen, and give their opinion on the subject, and I trust 

 that good may result from it. 



JOSEPH HOW, Chairman. 



Methuen, November 15, 1S51. 



ON RECLAI3IED MEADOW LAIVDS. 



The Committee on Reclaimed Meadow and Swamp Lands, 

 report : 



As early as the year 1750, the attention of some farmers in 

 this county, was turned towards the improvement of their wet 

 meadows. A part of Bishop's meadoW; (so called,) in North 

 Danvers, was then ploughed and sown with grass seed, and for 

 some time yielded large crops. But the improvident waste of 

 the forests by the early settlers in this country, made it neces- 

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