The Republican journal., 1875-11-04
Diaing in Salt Marshes.

On this subject We find that Robert Il.
Thomas in his new Old Farmers Alma
pac, says: 1t is gratifying to be able to
,tate lhat the Improvement OF the extern
,iye tracts Of salt marshes along the shores
of this State has been already begun.
Green Harbor Marsh of nearly fifteen hun
drcd acres, in the town OF Marshfield, has
been diked in at an expense Of more than
thirty thousand dollars and the results are
already apparent, though it is yet too
soon to state precisely the economy Of the
operation. 1t must still be regarded as
IN experiment, though there can be little
doubt that il Will prove to be great sue
cess, or that the reclamation of the wide
range of salt marshes will add largely to
,he productive capacity of the state.
Salt marshes may be considered as the
result of tidal aecumulations to which
have been added the debris of various
geological formations along the adjacent
coast consisting Of the mineral and organ
jc matter carried down by the streams
emptyng into the tidal basins. The COM
position OF the soil thus formed will of
course differ somewhat according to the
character OF the sediment of creeks and
streams coming in from the interior
country, or the washings OF the surround
ng uplaeds. AT the same time, it is rea-
sonable to suppose that they will have a
generally striking similarity of character
They are all composed, to a large extent,
of coarse, Of the settled scourings of the
ocean resembling often certain layers of
sand loan or mari, which formed the sea
bottom lands of preceding geological
epochs, while they are all modified to q
greater Or less extent by fresh water as
already indicated.
Changes in the actual vegetation of salt
marshes will take place slowly after the
sea water is shut off by means OF dikes.
1t takes time to alter the mechanical as
well as the chemical condition of the soil,
but experience shows that such changes
viii take place, and that the vegetation
will be improved gradually even without
artificial aid. Northern Europe presents
lis with abundant evidence of this, and
the low lands, like the polders of Holland,
reclaimed from the sea are among the
richest and most productive in the world
One OF the grandest experiments in this
direction was the drainage of the Haar-
Iam Sea in Holland 1t originally con-
sisted OF four small inland lakes, which
from the breakage OF various dkes and
barriers came TO cover an area Of from
thirty thousand to forty thousand acres.
and at the time its improvement was un-
Iertaken by the government in 1S49, this
area was 45, 900 acres, and its depth tif
teen feet. This sea was surrounded bv q
wall fifteen or sixteen feet high, on the
top OF which ditch wus DUO to receive
and convey the water thrown into it bv
numerous pumps worked by four steam
engines of 450 to 800 horse power each.
which threw the water into the ditch.
Ihe cost per acre for the improvement
was VIZ, exclusive of roads, drains, &c,
an aggregate OF $4 ,5O0,0 900, two-thirds of
which was received back for the sale of
Fthds 80 drained, while the taxation PAYS
good interest on the balance.
SO great was the success of this antor-
prise that The lands alter the first Years
cultivation rose to three times the ori Of
nal cost, and the present annual prodGc-
tlon often amounts TO more than Sl0O nor
acre in value About half of these re-
claimed lands are still kept in grass.
There is now population of about ten
thousand living within the basin OF the
former sea.
The scientific investigations instituted
IN the Green Harbor marsh, already re-
ferred to, show that there is in the soil an
ample supply of plant food for future
crops, and that with sufficient time for
the requisite changes in the chemical and
physical condition of the marsh deposit,
the proper cultivation will abundantly re.
pay all the labor and time and money that
have been or that may hereafter be de.
voted to it, Mass. Ploughman.