50 



?ii03S arid the meadow grasses, and fit them for producing the 

 most abundant crops of clover, and cultivated grasses. 



Irrigation is another means of fertilizing the earth, that has 

 not been duly appreciated in this vicinity. Falls of water have 

 been estimated in England to be worth as much for watering 

 the land, as for mills and factories. It is well known that even 

 the temporary streams formed by the melting snows in the 

 spring, if caused to run a few weeks over dry, gravelly soils, 

 will render them highly productive of grass the whole season. 

 Yet our brooks and rivulets are suffered not only to run to 

 waste, but even to render barren extensive tracts of land m 

 their vicinity. Wherever there is a fall of water runnmg 

 through land suitable for the purpose, let it be divided, and car- 

 ried as high on each side as it will run freely ; throw the inter- 

 mediate space into ridges about twenty feet wide ; along the 

 top of each let a small stream of water be passed occasionally ; 

 give the whole a dressing of ashes, or lime ; and it will produce 

 the most abundant crops of grass, without any further expense. 

 Admitting therefore that the expense of preparing land in this 

 manner should amount, in the first instance, to an hundred or 

 even to two hundred dollars an acre, it would still prove cheap- 

 er than most mowing land, which can be kept productive only 

 by frequent expensive manuring. Such land would contribute 

 the whole of its productions to enrich the other parts of the 

 t'arm ; a consideration of no little importance in estimating it3 

 value. 



By mixing different earths, soils may be permanently improv- 

 ed. Clayey and sandy lands are frequently found in the imme- 

 diate vicinity of each other. By dressing the sandy with clay, 

 and the clayey with sand, both, though naturally barren, may 

 be rendered fertile. That similar fertility would follow the 

 mixture of other earths cannot be doubted. Experiments made 

 on chemical principles, will in all human probability develop 

 most valuable resources of this kind, which are at present ur^ 

 known to agriculturalists. 



To the subject of fertilizing and rendering more valuable pas- 

 ture lands, by covering them with Trees, I cannot too strongly 

 yrge your attention. Locust trees grow rapidly, and produce 



