180 BOTANICAL GAZETTE _ [SEPTEMBER 
far the best example. An aboideau, shutting out the tide while 
allowing drainage of fresh water, recovers at one operation, 
without the expense of river-dikes, all the marsh along the river 
above it, and also the banks of the river and much of its bed, 
both of which, but especially the banks, produce the very richest 
of hay. At first sight it might seem wise to aboideau all rivers 
at their mouths, but when it is remembered that no land above 
the aboideau can be renewed by the tide, nor can any bog or 
lake be reclaimed, it will be seen that an aboideau is only profit- 
able on streams which have no bog nor lake at their heads, and 
which have a soil so deep as not to need renewal. This is true 
of many smaller streams heading against upland, but of none of 
the rivers excepting the main Aulac. An aboideau upon the 
Tantramar would have prevented the reclamation of thousands 
of acres which are now productive. Naturally, therefore, there 
is much jealousy of aboideaus upon the part of those who own 
inferior marsh or bog above them, and the words of a local 
writer,?? who calls them ‘the curse of our rivers,” reflect a 
common opinion.”? 
20Mr. WM. FAWCETT, of Upper Sackville, in newspaper articles. 
2t The marshes were first reclaimed by the Acadian French, who began the work 
in 1670 and continued it, raising much grain, until expelled by the English in 1755. 
They developed the metheds of reclamation (of marsh, but not of bog) still in use, and 
many of their old ake are stillto beseen. The extent of their operations is well shown 
upon several maps of the time (particularly on “A large and particular Plan of Chig- 
necto Bay,” 1755), and its limits are marked by the fine dotted line drawn on the accom- 
Pale Ea detailed map (fig.2). The lands lay vacant from 1755 to 1760, after which 
they w regranted to New Englanders and English, and their settlement and 
lacie has continued aye to this day. In 1827 the Aulac was first success- 
ully aboideaued, as were later the Misseguash and the La Planche, though from both 
of the latter the aboideaus ite since been removed. No attempt was made to 
reclaim bog and lake until early in the last century, when a farmer of Upper Sack- 
ville, Toler Thompson, whose name is justly held in high honor in the vicinity, after 
long study of the tidal currents and bog levels became convinced that the lakes could 
be filled and reclaimed. It was long before others could be convinced, but finally a 
canal was dug from the Tantramar into Rush Lake (fg. 2) which quickly became rich 
marsh. Later Goose Lake was recovered, and later Log Lake (which required fifteen 
years to fill with mud), while Long Lake, Ogdens and others are now being filled, and 
thus the system initiated by Thompson is adding eis to the wealth of this 
region. On the Misseguash little had been don t five years ago a company 
“The Misseguash Marsh Com ”” was oO ats to attempt to do with ample 
mpany rgan 
capital, systematic methods, and favorable legislation, what had been done piecemeal 
