IMPROVING WET MEADOWS AND SWAMP LANDS. 107 



of the expense and profit of this manner of bringing his meadow 

 into English mowing,^as he now furnishes us in regard to the other 

 method. 



But, at present, Mr. Payson enters for premium only that part of 

 his meadow which has been reclaimed by planting with potatoes ; 

 and it is to this process and its results that he particularly asks our 

 attention. And as he has appealed to us respecting the burthen 

 of grass we saw upon this part of his meadow, we will here remark 

 that we consider his estimate to be considerably below the actual 

 yield. 



Your committee are of the opinion that Mr. Payson's statement 

 relates with remarkable exactness the details and result of a very 

 interesting experiment. It shows how meadow lands may be re- 

 claimed by persons who cannot afford to make expensive outlays, 

 and wait years for the profits. There are many meadows in this 

 county, owned by just such persons, which now serve only to con- 

 taminate the air by their unwholesome exhalations, and are of no 

 profit to their owners, — but which may thus be changed permanently 

 into the most productive and profitable parts of the farm, by a 

 process which will not only pay its own gost yearly, but will actually 

 yield a profit. 



We suggest that if Mr. Payson had mixed his guano with a lib- 

 eral portion of gravel before applying it, his experiment would 

 have been more complete. We noticed that where gravel had 

 been applied on the north side of his meadow, the grass put forth 

 more vigorously than elsewhere. No soft meadow will continue for 

 a long time level and smooth without gravel. It gives firmness to 

 the soil, and solidity of texture to the grass. 



Mr. Osborn's meadow, which we viewed on the 6th of July, is 

 part of a farm which some four year since looked as uninviting as 

 rocks, and woods, and rugged steeps could make it. But with un- 

 tiring industry and perseverance in overcoming obstacles, directed 

 by skill and good taste, he has made the desert blossom as the rose. 



His meadow differs widely from Mr. Payson's ; it might perhaps 

 be called swamp swale land — and lies so high, that some persons 

 might doubt whether it comes within the rules of the society. 

 Your committee, however, conclude that it does. It was rugged 

 and hard to reduce, but it has yielded to Mr. Osborn's indomitable 



