The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-02-06
Aarifa!tmal.
Clearing and Improving Wa:si.es


The last Transactions Of The New Eamp-
shire State Agricultural Society contains sever
al interesting statements from the cu'npetiicrs
for premiums offered by the different County
Societies for the Improvement OF bog meadows
and lnarsh land generally. This is a matter
of widespread interest-there is much such
waste land in most sections of the country
Hence we make no excuse for repeatedly al.
.uding to the subject-for bringing all the good
examples Of clearing and improving marshes
prominently before oar readers.
G. C. Brown, of Slratham, had marsh or
pond hole, covered with bushes in part, and
filled with water in the spring season, which he
reclaimed so as to make it the most profitable
three acres of his farm He first dug ditch
through the centre, and lowered the outlet,
and then cut off the bushes near the ground,
and by continued cutting and burning nearly
DESTROYED their roots and the mosses which
covered the surface He next TIED the pow,
and with great deal of labor, on accouat Of
tile logs and roots which filled the soil, tire up
the most of it, and seeded part down to
grass in June 1916. This was moved the
September following, and gave a ton OF hay
TO the acre. The next season he m0@ed 1t
twice and cot in all about three tons to the acre.
Last year he pl ,wed and spaded the marsh
over again, and has The whole seeded now t."
grass, and in excellent condition. -
The soil is clear peat, from two to ten feet
deep, and in Mr.. BIS opinion possesses Il natu
,ral acid, needing some sort of manure TO cor,
rect it. He has used leached ashes, applying
them with excellent effect-at the rate Of about
one hundred and twenty five bushels per acre.
He has also used barn. yard manure, Line and
dry ashes, but prefers ashes Oh account "t thclf
containing no foul seeds, aud being tess bulky
than yard manure z
We are sorry the statement Contains no. ac.
count of the expense of the mprnpement.-
One years crop was sold for 500. The
marsh is still soft and n,iry in the lowest parts,
and evidently needs a deeper drain so that it
may settle sufficiently firm to bear up teams at
all seasons Of the year. lie now has to keep
off cattle and use wheelbarrow for carrying
the ashes upon the miry spots. The meadow
is beautiful spot, and notwithstanding the ex-
pense put upon it, Mr.. B. is we'll pleased with
his experiment. That the committee were
equal, 80 Is shown by their awarding him the
first premium.
Another statement was made by ]. God.
frey, of Hampton Falls. His meadow con-
tans one acre and 6veeighlhs aud was a bog
formed by springs on the hillside above it,
without any outlet save by evaporation. The
muck was from two to six inches in depth, and
the surface quite uneven, but without bushes,
and covered with brakes and water grass. He
drained it by an open ditch, cut and drew off
the hassocks, and then plowed il up into beds.
After blowing, the water turrows were cleaned
out and the mud spread evenly over the beds,
and these were then covered with gravel at the
rate of forty loads per acre. It was then SOW
ed with herds-grass and red top, and the seed
narrowed in by hand with brush harrow. 1t
was not all done in a year, but this was the
course pursued with the whole meadow.
The yield in this case was about one. ton
and ahalf per acre for. the fftst crop in July,
the second in September was nearly as good,
but was pastured off byturning incalyes. mo
manure was applied and the aneliorationhss