28 ESSEX SOCIETY. 



and the peat becomes a bed of manure. It is necessary also to 

 warm and consolidate the meadow, and to afford silex for the 

 coating, and thereby give support to the growing plant. Hence 

 the great value of a certain amount of coarse gravel in the pro- 

 cess of reclaiming peat meadows. 



Early in July, the attention of the committee was called by 

 James Marsh, of Danvers, to one acre of reclaimed meadow 

 land, for premium. The committee inspected the meadow while 

 the crop of grass was standing, which, in their estimation, would 

 produce two and a half tons of hay. The crop of hay, the year 

 previous, amounted to three tons. They award to him the 

 first premium of fifteen dollars. 



In September, the committee, at the request of Samuel C. Pit- 

 man, of Lynn, viewed a piece of land on his farm, containing 

 about ten acres, which he has improved by clearing the bushes, 

 trees and stumps, and rendered productive of good crops, as will 

 be seen by his statement, which is herewith transmitted. The 

 ground appeared to be more of the character of upland than 

 otherwise, and it was thought that the improvement did not come 

 within the province of a committee on wet meadow and swamp 

 land. The method of extracting stumps, adopted by Mr. Pit- 

 man, seems to be worthy of attention. 



The Committee have received an interesting communication 

 from the Rev. Edwin M. Stone, of Beverly, on the subject of 

 reclaiming meadow and swamp lands, which the Committee re- 

 quest may accompany their report. 



For the Committee, 



J. NEWHALL. 



James Marshes Statement. 



The piece of reclaimed meadow, to which I ask the attention 

 of the Committee, contains about four acres. A few years since, 

 it was considered worthless, not having been mowed for many 

 years, and then but a small part, for litter. About half was 

 covered with bushes and stunted maples. About six years since, 

 I commenced reclaiming, by inverting about six rods and spread- 



