Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-06-17


Clearing aud Improving Marshes.
Tho .uhjcc, OF retaining swamp. by sur
hcr aul underi-aiuius. has recently been
alluded o. in our columns. and we now pro.
r1-, O. oder f,v hints on the best method
orclsarios 5,., and MARSHES, and OF bring.
iu- o., .am, into a permanently productive
state. In mos, parts Of the couutry such
land !, @, De- found in considerable quanti-
t.r, hence vc need no excuse Tor bringing
tle ,uhj j,; r,pca,,lly belorc our rcad,rs
som, few year. since an eastern Asrcul-
turll society offered several prcmlms, cz-
tculir- through a course Of years, ior
experiment, in clearing and improving
marshes, aul ancrwarl, reported at some
length thereon. Il L, interesting as show.
ius thc CO., Of bringing boggy marshes into
cultivation, and alec as presenting the views
OF thc practical und well informed men on
thc hcst mean. Of accomplishing the same.
A. o. clearing. after a c,rcful cXamiua.
ton lor several successive seasons, ot tie
hallscarc Of entries Of lands, the committee
came 90 thc conclusion that the mo'i elec-
tual aud thorough process on very wet s'il'
with a vegetation ot small bushes and coarse
grasses, was,
1T 10 thoroughly drain the land. as Car
a, is could D. done by lrclacn, bitches /,
and
81. To loat or cu, or the whole surface
OF the sround p,lins 1t ia wiurow'. let Il
dry, and ,hen barn ile whole to ashes.
Tbo method, taking all thing, into ac.
count. they believed to be more economical
than that syurrllly practiccd, OF cutting "a
the to,, AND brush, auI then suhIuiny the
colr,e vegetation by frcquen, plowins, aud
haropwing. Itwa. found exceedingly din.
cult O. reclaim ths sol lrlra IT, original
product. By ,hc la,tsr process. By pairing
aud bamius, on 90, contrary, the c,Irssr
materials u, she llGl wcr, at Que, reduced
by 6rc. ami alirl,I valuable AMI much
nc,lei auenimsnt, IA their aJundant ash.
q. rbe surface. with slightly pIowins or
thoroughly narrowing, was much earlier
prepared Tor a crop than by che other ms,h-
od, gaining one or two wears Out ct ,hrc or
four, 90 iuc u,, and production OF The land,
oygs lhas OF ,ubluins by tlc piow.
In o. number OF examples gwen, the cos;
OF clearing and thoroughly suhiuins BY this
prucg,. ua, about S9u pr acre. The crops
tor ,bres year, paid all czveusss and more,
and tbs land would remain equally prOduc-
u,c los long time with proper ,reaun mt.
lia marsh Ia, much depth Of muck and
cannot De drained Thoroughly, Nc aud Iaa'
alter a l,w year, ,t wi.l ,ss,ic down nearer
tlc water lone. anI iu the mJlsicr spot,
wud grass, will di,Placn the cultivated
ones 4, an cutie, eau De had, the most
shc,eug rgmedy vail be - deyPcn the drains
auI IlJu up anl re-sccd 20 grass, aud At At
tlg slms tims, a Iop drc.,ius Of sandy loaa'
be- applied, the result, wall BE- more s''l'lac-
tory. The gra,. wall have q b,tscr chaac'c'
than on mucS alone, aul will De l,ss likely
90 become run out" by coarser heritage.
So dlu1s many Of our farming readers
bay, bad experience Ia clearing mar'hes,
Boo relate on ol which woull encourage
o.bsr, 10 engage in this work Of improve
mrut. We hope that whenever their lcisur,
allows, they will favor Us with articles on
this and other subjects OF interest.