Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-10-16
BRATTLEBORO, W.: OCT. Is, 1853.

ry or polite in reclaiming swale lands, depends
upon several circumstances, such as the consti-
tuition of the soil and subsoil the way in which
the water comes upon it, the location OF the
farm as affecting the value of land and products,
and the price of labor. Some lands require
thorough undertaking. with stone or tile, to
give them that measure of dryness and warmth
that shall bring out their full power of produc-
ton. But they may be located where land and
products are too cheap to warrant so large an
outlay; and perhaps more superficial drainage
may be so well planned and executed as to vcry
essentially improve them, at a reasonable out
lay, under the circumstances. In locations,
however, where the value of land is high and
its products are near market and bear a high
price, the thorough Undertaking of bog-mead-
ows and swaly lands needing that process, proves
invariably profitable investment. have my
self observed several specimens of uudcrdrain-
ing both with stone and tile, that have produc-
ed an astonishing change in the land, and from
which very satisfactory returns are yearly real
lied.
1t is often the case in New England, that wet
lands are quite favorably situated for draining
so that a comparatively small outlay of wel-di-
rccted labor will relieve them of undue mois-
ture and coldness, and much change the quality
of their products. Where the moisture arises
from surface water, then it is only necessary TO
carry it off by open bitches. Or where the
moisture is produced by springs flowing in from
the adjoining higher lands, and the surface soil
rests upon subsoil not too close and impervi
Gus. then by simply opening suitable ditch
around the wet field, or across the side where
the water comes in, SO as to cut it off and con-
duct it away, and plowing the land deep and
fine. backfurrowing it into beds of two tn three
rods wide clearing out the dead furrows and
smoothing up any little depressions there may
be in the general surface of the beds the land
may be so far improved as to produce fine crops
Of grass certainly and perhaps a rotation Of
good farm crops generally. will mention two
of the instances of this kind of mproy cment
that have come under my observation.
Mr. Charles c. Lyndc, of Guiltord, VT, has a
tract of land situated on gentle slope to the
South. which was formerly too wet and cold for
tllage purposes, and was mostly overrun with
inferior grasses of swampy nature. The wet
ness proceeded from belt of cold springs, is
suing out of the higher lands ali along the up
per or northerly edge of this field. A ditch
was opened across the slope, on the upper side,
and early in June, the wet land was deeply plow-
ed and then narrowed thoroughly. In August
il was cross powed, and narrowed several times
both ways, as tol vel the little inequalities of
the surface well as might be. Then it was
laid up in quite crowning beds, two rods in
width, by backfurrowing each bed two or three
times with the plow, LAYING the beds up and
down the slope. The dead furrows were clear
ed out with the shovel, spreading the dirt upon
the beds, and levelling up any little liollows in
them. The land was dressed with compost of
one part horse manure to about three parts
sandy loan, and seeded thickly with herds grass
aud red-top. 1t has produced heavy crops of
good hay for several Years. and will continue to
la hv m sional pln,lipr nd
reseeding, or by top-dressing alone.
A few years since, in visiting the late Judge
Hayes, at his residence in South Berwick Me-,
my attention was directed to lowland meadow
of sixty acres, comprising portion OF his farm,
and which he had brought into good grass. The
meadow is of oblong shape, quite uniform
width, and surrounded on all sides by gradually
rising uplands. A Large portion of it hal been
cleared and moved annually as sour meadow
for very long period. The meadow had no
natural outlet and was made wet bv. springs
flowing in from the uplands, which though not
sufficiently numerous TO form pond upon the
surface, yet remaining in the soil made it cold,
wet and bosgy On the outer edges, where
there was the most water, the muck was from
one to two feet deep, and gradually lessened
towards the centre, where ii was six or eight
inches deep-the whole resting on clayey bot
tom A ditch three feet deep, and of suitable
width to give good slope to the sides, was
opened all around the edge of the meadow, thus
cutting of all springs from the uplands. The
water was all collected in one channel at the
lower end of the meadow, and conducted OF
through deep cut made in the upland, which
at this point is lower than elsewhere, and after
going short distance, sufficient natural de-
scent was found to dispose of the water without
further digging.
After ditching, a few acres of the meadow
were each year plowed up by backiurrowng in-
to beds of two rods in width, the dead furrows
were cleared out pretty deeply, spreading the
earth upon the beds and leveng their inequal-
tiles. Compost made of manure and upland
loan was carried on to the land by shedding in
the winter, and the next season spread and har-
rowed in, and the land seeded to grass. After
moving about five years, the land was again
plowed by hackfurrowing, manured and resced-
ed. In process of time the whole meadow was
reclaimed in this way, and produced a great
quantity of good hay. The meadow eventually
became so settled and firm as to be accessible
at all times with loaded teams.
But my communication is getting quite too
long, though think of several other points
would like too mention in connection with this
matter of draining. T. HoLBRooK.
Braftleboro, Aug 10, 1853