88 



them beyond the hope of recovery. Hence the importance of 

 using manure that does not Jive or stimulate too rapidly. 



IMPROVING WET MEADOW AND SWAMP LANDS. 



The Committee on Improving Wet Meadow and Swamp 

 Lands report : 



There was but one entry made, and that was by G. A. Cur- 

 rier, of Middleton. On the fifth day of July two members of 

 the Committee visited Mr. Currier, and viewed the premises, 

 and afterwards another member of the Committee, and were 

 much pleased Avith the faithful manner in which the improve- 

 ment was made. Judging irom the appearance of the land 

 adjoining, previous to its being reclaimed it was not of 

 much income. The first process in reclaiming was to open a 

 ditch through the land, which ditch is not far from four feet 

 and a half wide and three feet deep, and is walled up most of 

 the way on both sides, with large stones, making permanent 

 walls, and making a ditch of sufficient size to take the water 

 at all seasons of the year. There are several covered drains 

 leading into the main, which the Committee believe are suffi- 

 cient to take all the water from the springs on the land. It 

 was covered with gravel, and the surface was made very level. 

 There was, at the time the Committee visited it, a large and 

 valuable crop of grass, as will be seen by Mr. Currier's state- 

 ment. 



Among the requisites necessary in the Improvement of 

 Meadow and Swamp Lands, in order to make it a success, 

 the first is thorough drainage ; the second is levelling the 

 surface, which may sometimes be done in part with the har- 

 row in the spring of the year, when the frost is coming out of 



