The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-06-16
III IN G H "a n alA C Il. !.
From. the, ESSEX .Ag. Soc. Transactions.
RECLAIM ED M EADOWS.

The committee oil reclaimed meadows nnt
swamp land, respectfully report: r.
That applications for premiums have beer
made 10y Daniel Putnam of Danvers, an,
William Osborn OF Lynn. The conniite,
clave viewed the premises of the ella imant.
and examined the statements which are her,
annexed, and recommended the Societie'
first premium of$20, be awarded to Mr. Osborn
and the second premium of$lo, be awarded te
Mr. Putnam. Mr. Osborn has given deta lied nc
count of all his expense and income. This il
as it should he; so that our brother farmers ma,
see how profitable il IS, and those who have
meadows may go and do likewise. The Com
mittee have great pleasure in remarking thai
they have reason 10 believe, that there is AN in.
creasing attention paid to the cultivation Of thai
part Of our land, which remained SD long uncul
tivated, and, comparatively worthless, bur which
has proved by experience, to be in point of fer.
ty, surpassed by none even the praires of the
West. 1t has been ascertaned by experience that
nearly all kinds of grains and vegetables tina,
our climate affords, can lie raised on meadow
land to good advantage -Four and n half tons
of English hay has been cut on an acre in one
year. One individual says, four hundred bush.
corn, have also been raised in like proportion.
1t 10 an old saying, that it is good shot kill
1.-TWO birds with one stone; but in this case more
can he done. In moving the stutnps and logs
with which many meadows are ncuinbered the
fuel will more than pay the expense; in
draining the meadow the mud will more than
pay the expense Of ditching, to be carted into
the hog pen, cow yard, or compost heap, then
TO be applied to upland, as it makes a valuable
manure. Two crops will usually more than
pay The expense Of culivating them, and then
the land, instead of being comparatively worth.
less, in most cases will he worth at least one
hundred liars per acre, GO aiaFa
In regard to the best manner of managing
meadow land different persons have different
opinions. as il is natural for person TO he par.
tal to his own way If he has tolerable success.
Grain roots may be cultivated profitaby on
meadows that cannot be drained much as
would he desirable, or that are occasionally o.
verfowed; such are moi suitable for grass.
There are meadows within the knowledge OF
the committee, that have produced good crops
OF English hay, without any other dressing than
sand, others have used gravel with equal success
Good crops of corn and potatoes have also been
raised without manure, sand or gravel being
put in the HILL
How much better 10 cultivate land when suit.
able dressing can he procured from the gravel
knoll or sand bank, to neglect such land, and
hanl manure some miles after paying ex.
,travagant price for il, to be applied to upland,
and perhaps not raise an equal CROP Although
good crops have been raised without manure rs
above stated, yet il is thought that little com.
post manure may be proftabIy applied. Not
withstanding oil that has been said, there are
ihose that are so opposed TO the new method of
farming, as they call it, or SO tenacious IF the
honor Of their venerable fathers that they will
not turn to the right hand nor to the left, from
aho path in which they trod. But would ask
whether farmers ought not to keep pace with
improvements Of the day and if they would be
as good husband as those That have pissed off
the stage before them, whether they ought not
to improve Just SO far as the light of science de-
ve!opes itself? 81 iHaits tae ,@ So itHt
Again, some say that they cannot afford to make
improvements. but it will do for Mr. A.. Of B.
that has money. % In conversation with IN midi
vidual that hal been improving part of small
meadow, he said if could afford to hire help, /
would reclaim the remainder of it. While in
conversation, he acknowledged that one crop
of hay had actually paid all the expense Of cul-
svation. Now il a man under these cir.
cumstances cannot afford to hire help, know
not who can. .,s, III 4e,sr tert.i8s.. sia - s
- 1T is not the intention TO convey the idea that
all meadows in all seasons will produces four g.
n halftops of hay or fnrihundred bushels of po-
tatoes to the acre, for itcannot he expected. But
tits the intention to conveythe iIlea that meadow
lands will produce more net profit than any
other; as it requires less manure, and Is less la
bic TO be affected with drought, or wet if it
lsproperly Drained For the Committee.
h'"Fe f9a JOSEPH HOW, Chairman.
Dec. 81, 1899,