Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-06-28
From the Providence Journal.
RECLAIMING SWAMPS.

From the Providence Journal
RECLAIMING swAMPS-
: To the President and Standing Committee Of th'
!, Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement
. Of Domestic Industry:
A GrSrLENkS-ln the remarks which follow, have az
tempted give the results OF experience in reclanns
pea, swsmps. ia which have been very successful
Agriculture has been the principal business Of my life
Being practical farmer have made many experiment.
an the raising vegetables and tho ot manare bu,
VIII give my views upon the rcclsmng Of low land by
the construction of blind bitches, in which have had many
years experience.
On my farm there were several cold, swamps the
income OF which would pay the Of hauling the
cattle out Of the miro in the spring when they
get the gross that grows 10 the mud holes
To prevent cattle from getting mcd caused bitches
to be dug through the and left This did
however, prevent the cattle getting mrcd nor improve the
quality Of the grass excep, for lew feet from the bitches
endeavored keep the bitches 'open bat they only
the purpose Of carrying off the rain water and left
all the cold spring that desired TO get rid Of
Where suberanean bitches have boon properly made and
covered, tere has not boon the least difficulty In nd
ding the swamps Of spring Swamps thus drained
have been affected by seasons IN fact. OF
my swamps which beds OF miro In the spring of
the year, may be ploughed and planted early
| any other land. ~.
commenced my experiments in 1880. had cold wet
swamp, containing about OF land. lying before
my house, which yielded heavy buhen Of swamp
grass niermxed with rushes skunk cabbage aud other
noxous weeds This crop only hi tor bedding for
cattle. In the spring Of the the swamp bed
OF miro: for many years had enc ditch through it, and
frequently three but they neither draned IN, swamp,
nor improved the grsss. Previous TO undertaking,
had ire lucn,y cnrted sand aud gravel the swamp.
(Which dish form, lowest in the centre but with very
| little effect.
| The swamp being my house. was qiite offensive,
and beiovc be unhealthy; therefore mpor-
iant that should be reclaimed By sounding found
the mud was deepest in the centre; then caused main
di'c % feet wide, to be dug through the Of the
swamp, ana deep enough take the upper
Small bitches then dug from spring holes the
DITCH The bitches then all filled
cast in promscuorsy but deep enough be OF the
reach OF the plough The then eveled and
we'll covered with coarse hay dry sesweed, &c, TO
vent the earth nons its among the thus depos
d the earth which had been taken out Of the ditch
thea back.
Alter this preparation proceeded with fourth Of an
acre follows collected quantity of small bushes and
weeds weeds and other rubbish. and commenced
ploughins the swamp with two yoke of oxen. Having
ploughed one iurrow filled IL with the brush
&c, and turned the next furrow upon it, / proceeded
thus until tie entire quarter OF had been poughed
and uestcd like the first furrow.
This may be by thought be q small work, but
have made IL rule and advise others when they
pements; small II they succeed they could
| increase; If they fail, they would lose little.
Fe ground thus p!onghed then and eyeled with
Inc bog hoe and harrow and twelve carloads Of compost
manure spread II down in September Of
that year, with six pounds Of small clover, quarts OF
herds and bushel Of bent seed. In the July fol-
lowing, 1884, cut from this quarter OF acre. OF
hay At 4 single cutting which sufficient besides pay.
ing the OF cutting aud curing pay the expense
Of rec!aimng and preparing the land which grew
II may be well 10 state that hay that year worth $50
| per ton.
The reminder OF the swamp could well be plough
cd and prepared at the same time. however cared
sand and gravel kill grass that not DESTROYED
by the ghne the fall, and in June 1884, put on
compost the Of 50 oads the acre
proceeded before with bog hoe and harrow. | sowcd
with grass seed. The grew ye5y large were
moved their green and taken off. The young
grass grew large the year, that of was
moved. Since ihat time, II has been moved every year.
and the whole swamp has made average yearly crop
three tons OF hay per For four years nothing
done 20 the land Since that time il has annually had
light dressing ct The clover out after the
first year, except she bitches, where still remains
The herdgrass and bent. burden, prineipa
asses the herdsgrass growing size prof.
dncing some heads measuring inches length Every
three years this of land pays entire which
has been laid out on H. besides the OF culture mauure
&c.
In 1885, partially reclaimed and cultivated second
swamp TO great advantage In this swamp, the mud
found 10 be deepest under the banks which generally
the whtre the banks high He,e the diches are
made the mergn OF the swamp; but all cases there
must DC fall enough off the cold spring water
Ia digging dteEes they should be dug deep enough take
the nsi water courses: these are generally found the pan
sGbsoi To be certain and make labor efectual
1t is well To dig from inches the pan TO give
the spring pas7age will rise and run off among
| the stones in the bitches.
commenced three years ago a third swamp where
wished TO 'eclIim four This a part Of IT, was
peat: the bitches therefore required cut six feet
deep: small part Of the swamp the bitches were two
rods apart Ii probable that twice that distance would
have an;wered. bni having plenty OF hand and
wishing 10 make thorough work. they placed nearer
together. On this part which about thee-quareIs of
an ncTe, no animal could find foOnghence all done
BY manual labor, with spade, bog-hoe &c. The stones
were wheeled panks and deposited and covered in
tie diIches IN former In 1912 impossi-
bic for walk this land vet III the spring of
lei3, it was Plowed and planted Manure csrted on
without the least Inconvenience On the last OF MAY three
acres were planted with potatoes and fine crop was OBJ
iained Among these planted for experiment. corn
pumpkins cuermbeFs squashes turnps, &C., all Of which
grew vigorously and ripened.
On the 2lst end 22l OF June, 1874, two acres Of the
reclaimed ad were sown with miilet and grass seed-l2
quarts OF Ge, and bushel of herdsgass with other
seed the On the t % and 81 Of the
crop harvested The mIet had grown an enormous
size the top heads stood measuring six fe in height
IL judged the reapers and by those who saw the
held that from to 10 tons Of fodder would produced on
the two acres Thirty bushels Of seed obiained from the
top heads The remainder Of the reclaimed land plant
ed principally with potatoes than half Of which were
rotten though not more than those raised other land
on my farm and by my neighbors.
The expense Of recsming and manuring land will not
be far from hundred dollars per acre
have been long Of the opinion that swsmps are our most
valuable anGs. The outlay necessary reclamng hem
prevents their Culture but my experience has proved to
my satisfaction ihot where there fell enough 10 drain
swamp they will produce ceaF prof, than any other
lands nave cultivated. allowing IN. expense OF
undertaking, and cultivation 100 per rc.e
Before undcT5fninQg thcsn lands worth but irfc-
have sold from Of reclaimed swamp three tons
Of hay O; $50 per ton, from single moving.
would remark that casting the stone into the ditch
PoWcuousy' ~ nnch We best, Tor II permits the water
10 enter without any Obstruction and find its way
through them, keep fe.f n good order; II could
t7e some box put in c the expense. should pre-.
Ter 10 have stones cast IN yr0micuCusy After
aiohes had been made twelve yeats opened for the
purpose Of changing it, Tue were pefccts
ly clean aud not IN the lenst obstfucied by mud.
IL should be Tecoleced tlat these blind bitches and
that they should be closed 10 at the o1nan head aud
nsaId stream should be permitted run into them
Thc subscriber would invite the committee 10 view the
bog meadows and swsmps which he IccIsimed within
the last fourteen years, and Of which he has above given
| the process pursued byhim.
Respectfully, yours,
GIDEON SPENCER.
WaSDiek Nor, G.
tAt meeting Of the Standing Committee Of inc Rhode
island Society for the announcement Of Domes6c Ipdps