Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-12-10

tue neoessity OF loug urain Wnlcn Woulu
have been needful otherwise. A we'll was
dug near the side of the wet land next the
interval. 1t was sOmo seven or eight feet
deep, and reached bed of gravel. Leading
into this the necessary bitches were dug, aud
as there was not great amount Of water,
three. .coruered tube, made Of boards about
four inches wide, nailed together was put in
for a conductor, the ditch filed up and the
well walled up and covered with a fat stone
and earth.
This worked well although occasionally
when there is very wet time, the ground
is so filled with water that the well will
overflow for few days.
l do not now think that there was any
need Of walling up the well, and if were
to try anOther one should put 10 the cen.
ter Of The we'll q tube made Of plank with
holes bored through to give the water free
passage. This might be anywhere from
few inches to foot square and around this
| would Gil in with cobble stones. 10 fact
we have just such a we'll dug a few years
ago to carry of the waste water from our
supply at the barn-yard, and it has worked
very satisfactorily.
There is upon our farm piece Of land,
some ten acres in extent, of which we wish
to speak. Originally this land was covered
with thick growth of pine, FIR. black ash,
birch, etc. Many of the pines must have
been Of prOdigiOus size, judging from the
stumps, some Of which remain to this day,
but some have been piled aud burned on
the land aud many have been used to boil
sap, making the best of fuel for that pur-
pose. 0nly those being left that could not
be demolished Since the earliest recollec-
tion Of the writer this land has been drawn
upon for hoop timber, for fence rails ana poles,
aud for FIRE wood to some extent, till now
the timber is exhausted aud upon the greater
part Of il the stumps are nearly all gone.
The surface soil is mostly muck, varying in
depth from few inches to two feet or more,
though parts of it are clayey or clay loan,
and at one corner there is sprinkling of
sand washed down from the hill. This all
rests upon very harl clsyey subsoi, so
that there is little chance for drainage down
wards. Numerous springs come down from
the hills ON two sides and the surface being
nearly level, and the soil Of such character
as we described, we do not wonder when we
are told that in the earlier years of this
town this swamp was almost impossible, 10
summer, for man or beast, except in a very
dry time, and in my younger days more than
once, on going for the cows, was obliged
to call help to extricate luckess one that
had ventured beyond her depth.
Quite a change has been wrought in thi:
land and we hope to see more improvement
in it ere long. Doubtless it might have beer
brought about in less time, but whoever
undertakes to reclaim such a piece of swamp
land will find it necessary to let patienct
have her perfect work.
Years ago ditch was dug by settling tn,
natural outlet and extending it nearly
through the center of the swamp. The next
pin draining was to dig more open bitches
some Eve or six acres on the south side o
the central ditch being entirely surrounded
This cut off the springs from the hills, aud il
was hoped that it would render the land in
closed fit for cultivation, and it did ipprov
it wonderfully. At ordinary times it wa
no longer quagmire, and about eight year
+, ago one.half Of it was cleared OF stumps and
plowed, and after a crop Of oats cut 70
fodder, was plowed again, a light drcssinI
of manure put on, and it was seeded to gras
late in the fall. Then was made our frs
experiment in undertaking. The piece o
land surrounded with bitches Of which we hav
already spoken, all has slope towards thu
' central ditch, although in some places it j
scarcely perceptible. Ga one side of th'
: part which was plowed as nearly through tn
= center of the whole, ditch was dug havn
its outlet 10 the main ditch. 1t was abou
+ two and one-half feet deep, and poles wer
h laid into it which were covered with fla
I stones, and then nearly foot in depth (
i cobble stones was dumped in, little 6u
h brush put upon these, aud the dirt filed in
This land produced good crops of hay f
about three years, when wet season kille
out the herds grass and poor quality
wild grass took It's place, except for about
i rod each side Of the underdrain. This drai
Y cost 80 much labor that do not thluk v
= should try the plan OF putting in small ston'
10 again, unless they we're on the land and v
IF wished to get rid Of them, but it HI
IS discharged water ever since it was put i
,e and water never stands upon the Surla
70 within rod Of it, while upon ether parts
IN the field it always appears after hard raj
If cobbes were put in at all | think thu
le should not come quite as near the surfAc
v as there are places where the soil has settl'
er down, showing that the water has washed
L. IN among the stones somewhat. The wor
or ings of this ditch made us determine to u
ds derdrain the whole lot, but not till this ye
have we done anything more at it. Two
Is, three years ago, however, the remainder
ry the lot, some three acres, was cleared
W stumps and plowed, but some of ii was iou