Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1841-08-16
AGRICULTURAL.
From the Nep England Farmer.

From the Ne,O England Farmer.
MUCK AND DRAINING OF WET LANDS
As soon as they hnyin is over and the weeds
are well removed from the fields, the farmers n,
tenIlon Should be turned TO the swamps and mud
holes. We continne to maintain that the most =
economical way in which farmers generally can
improve their farms, Is to go into the wet mead
ows and bring out peat, muck, mud and the like,
to the greatest extent which their time and the
water will allow. The early autumn is usually
The dryest season, and then the low grounds are
firmer and in better condition 10 be worked than
at any other part Of the year. Fear not to go in
to your muck holes in good earnest. Take out
not one years supply only, of materials for ma
nure, but enough, if possible last several years.
Exposure 10 the action OF frosts and the atnios-
phere will remove the acidity from what you dig
up, and will be rendering it more and more con-
ducve to the fertility of your lands. An hundred
cords of muck piled up your premises, will
annually increase in value flor two or three
years. more than the amount of interest on $500.
Get supply of muck in advance, so not to
be obliged TO use any that has been unimproved
by age, for then you make manure heaps larger
in quantity and better in quality, than if You use
materials that have but ust been dug up from
their wet beds.
The various ways in which the muck can be
used have been often staed-it may 90 into the
hog-yard-the barn yurd-the compost heap, and
wherever manure is made Every where, if its
quality be good it will help TO increase that which
you wnrl most-manure- manure.
In determining tUhere you will obtain your
muck, look at your low lands, and ascertain
whether you cannot he usciully draining tbs M
while you are at the same time providing the arti.
Gle wanted. Very many of our wet meadow
lands, that now produce little or nothing, many
that bear the caurse water grasses which the cat
Tie are very reluctant TO eat, may by proper drain
ing and by cultivation, be rendered the most pro-
ducve lands on our farms. Nearly oil OF them
will then yield the cultivated grasses most ahund-
anty, and many Of them are as well suited to
corn, rye, beets, and Other common crops, as any
lands in the country.
Where The spongy moss abounGs many springs
dre sending up their waters near the shore, and
good shore dicbes going into the hard pan, should
be cut. Generally, bitches near the shore are
more etectual in carrying off the waters than
Others. Where the mud or peat is deep, and
where the sward is loose and free from tough
grass roots, all the upland crops can be raised with
great readiness. 1t is by no means necessary to
cover such lands with gravel sand, loan, clay
or any mixture of these, will increase the fertility
Of the peat soils, aud il is good husbundry to cart
from the upunds dressings for these black penty
soils.
Where the mud is not deep--whcre the has
socks or boys are prone 10 grow, n coating Of
gravel, loan, or the like, even il it be not thick
enough to cover the bogs or lunches, will in
yenr or two, without any manure bring i'm the
upland grasses and will furnish I'm abundant crop
of very good hay. Such lands may do better to
be thoroughly covered and well munured bnt this
is an expensive process Where the land is 80
tough and hassocky that ii cannot well be plowed
and TILED, we deem il good economy to put on
thin coating OF guyel--sny Of one inch or n lille
more SOW in hay seed, let it work It's way lnr
year or two, and then spread on tlle more gray
T. In al