EEP0RT8. 31 



Tliis process of redeeming meadow land incidentally furnishes the 

 means of fertilizing other lands which need an additional supply of 

 those elements which are furnished by the peat-muck taken from the 

 ditches. An illustration of this is furnished by a statement prepared 

 by Mr. Samuel Powers of Hadley. 



Many of these swamps owe the accumulation of vegetable matter 

 to annual contributions from the uplands; and it seems but justice, 

 that a part, at least, should be restored to the uplands to increase their 

 fertility. This can advantageously be done by the formation of com- 

 post manure of which the basis is peat muck. Mr. Powers employs 

 a large number of hogs to elaborate this muck into its proper condi- 

 tion. It is said that Dr. Franklin's negro on his return from Eng- 

 land, said, " In England, ebery ting work, wind work, water work, 

 steam work, dog work, oxen work, horses work. Ebery ting work 

 but de hog. He has nothing to do but to walk about and be a 

 gentleman." Mr. Powers with characteristic yankee ingenuity which 

 turns every thing to some useful purpose, has taken the hog from the 

 class born only to consume the fruits of the earth, and has taught 

 him to labor for his living, and by mechanical and physiological ap- 

 pliances to assist in raising the corn which is to fatten him and enrich 

 his owner. It ought to be added that Mr. Powers has been emi- 

 nently successful in redeeming the land entered for the examination 

 of the committee as the premiums bestowed in past years testify. 

 He and each of the five have presented examples to the public of 

 great value, v/hich it is to be hoped will be followed. Were the So- 

 ciety to appoint a committee whose duty it should be to learn what 

 number of acres of loivland has been recently reclaimed, and what 

 numher of acres might he adxmntageously reclaimed in Hampshire 

 county, and report to the Society, it would probably call the atten- 

 tion of the public to the subject, and encourage the practice of re- 

 claiming meadow lands. 



And finally, the process of reclaiming meadow lands is profitable. 

 In proof of this we rely upon the following statements. 



In conclusion your Committee beg leave to say, that they have been 

 exceedingly gratified in the examination of the several pieces of Mead- 

 ow-land which were entered for the bounty of the Society. Of these 

 there were five ; two in the town of Hadley ; two in Amherst ; and one 

 in Belchertown. In each and all we saw animating evidence of skill, 

 perseverance, and success. In that success, whether you regard the 

 change from deformity to beauty, from barrenness to fertility, from 

 loss to profit ; in that skill in the application of the rules of Agricul- 

 tural art founded upon the principles of Agricultural science, we see 

 a pledge and an earnest of similar improvements to be extensively 

 adopted elsewhere in this vicinity by other intelligent farmers. A 

 celebrated English satirist remarks, that the man who makes two 

 blades of grass grow where one grew before, confers a greater benefit 



