KECLAIMED MEADOWS. 77 



most of the stumps bad already been removed. I tlion plowed, about 

 seven inches deep, taking pains to have it well turned, and the 

 furrows lie nearly flat. I turned up some two or three inches of 

 muck, which lay until May 1852, and being, then, well pulverised 

 with a harrow, I was enabled to cultivate it without much expense. 



I planted on the 22d of May, spread a light coat of manure, com- 

 posted of barnyard manure and sand, in equal proportions, using at 

 the rate of eight loads of compost to the acre. I added twelve 

 bushels of ashes to the acre, putting them in the hill. I planted 

 indian corn, hoed three times, and cultivated between the rows. 

 Just before the last hoeing, I sowed grass seed at the rate of one peck 

 of herds grass, four quarts of red top, and five pounds of clover to 

 the acre, and mixed in a little turnip seed. I cut my corn Sept. 18th, 

 and husked, about the middle of October, one hundred fifty-seven 

 bushels of good ears of corn, on one acre, and about three tons of 

 corn fodder. The weight of the fodder was obtained by weighing 

 one stack, and multiplying it by the number of stacks. I finished 

 pulling my turnips the 20th of November, and had one hundred 

 twenty-five bushels, on one acre. In July last, I cut a fair crop of 

 good hay, estimated by competent judges, at two tons to the acre. I 

 think I should have had a greater crop, had the season been favorable. 

 The muck was dry enough to burn well, a long time before the grass 

 Avas cut. The land is now in good condition. The grass thickens 

 so well, that I expect a heavier crop of hay next season. I have 

 computed the expense of reclaiming one acre from its condition — in 

 August, 1851 — when it was drained and the stumps removed. 



PKODUCE. 



78 bushels of corn, at 83 1-3 cents, - - $65.00 



3 tons corn fodder at .^6, - . _ . 18.00 



125 bushels turnips at 12 1-2 cents, - - 15.62 



2 tons hay at ^7 per ton, - - . . 14.00 



$112.62 



EXPENSES. 



Bogging and removing bogs, • - - - $6.00 



Draining, - 3.00 



Plowing and harrowing, - - . - - 6.00 



Manures, compost and ashes, ... 10.00 



Planting and hoeing three times, ... 5. 00 



Grass seed, ---._.. 1.50 



C'orn, 6.00 



Turnips, 3. 00 



Hay seed, 2.50 



843.00 



Net gain on one acre. - - - - $09.62 



To this might be added the value of the land or nearly so ; for be- 

 fore I commenced in August 1851, there was no net increase from it 

 — the bog hay barely paid the labor of getting it, 



Albert Montague. 



