Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-11-17
Drained Swamp For Meadow.

II is doubtful whether. with all the expe-
rienco farmers have had in retaining the
numerous swamps of this country. they have
yet settled upon the best way, or whether
the swamps that have been reclaimed 10 the
careless, unsystematic way pursued, have
not cost more than the profits. There is still
great deal Of swamp land, marring the ap-
pcarance Of the best farming districts Of our
country, and yielding but little income, aud
it seems to us that farmers can not do better
than to discuss thoroughly the best and
most economical methods OF draining, clear
ing, working aud seeding the different kinds
Of swamps. As commencement of the dis
cussion, we copy from the Now York Trib-
une the following:
IA correspondent wants to know "whether
a swamp thoroughly drained can be put in
permanent meadow, and if so, how it is to be
done ?" 1t IS further remarked that ga dry
surface muck, black as tar and about four
inches thick, varying somewhat in thickness,
covers an undersoil of sand, gravel aud clay,
running partly in seams and spots. The
ditching is three feet deep, and tile laid,
from which issues steady stream Of pure,
bright water. The best thing probably that
can be done with this is to summer falow il,
blowing it deep, the object being to get the
upper and lower soil mixed, and give time
for the decomposition of the muck and green
vegetable material which may be growing
upon it, getting it thus thoroughly incor.
porated with the clay and gravel, aud acting
upon it, 1t requires whole summer and
winter to do this. In no land, perhaps, do
we meet with so many failures, the amount
of fertility considered, as in swamp soil when
FIRST reclaimed. Usually, the land drained
in the summer, and plowed in the fall, is
sowed in the spring following, and notwith-
standing there may be perfect mellowness
the frost will produce this effect-there
usually is more or less disappointment, and
sometimes almost total failure. The reason
is the time has been too short, to decompose
the vegetable material and remove tho acid
of the soil. Beside, the muck and the heav-
Ter soil have not been sufficiently mixed,
some places being pure peat, others clay or
gravel. The better way is to do the work
right in the start, and then there will be lit
tie chance for disappointment.
"If, however, it is desired not to keep
the land idle, it might do to plow at once,
giving a chance for the vegetable matter to
rot, so as to have second blowing done this
season, applying heavy cultivator thor
oughly before the last blowing as also after
it, so as to prepare the land for spring
crop. Should the crop fail, as is hardly
likely, the land can still be worked during
the summer all the better for the pre-.
vious working, only the seed for the spring
crop being lost For it is an axiom with me
that there is no loss in working the soil that
the four or five plowings here would pay for
the labor in the increased benefit to the land.
GAS the land is intended for a permanent
meadow, it would be we'll to equalize the
soil by exchanging muck for clay and gravel
in spots where they seem in excess, for these
places, unless treated, will be comparatively
useless, making the field uneven in its yield.
If it pays to cart manure on the land, it
must pay to cart it (muck is manure) from
one place in the field to another. The sur
face also Of course needs evelng for a
meadow.
at is further asked, "what grass or grasses
are best to seed the land to ?" As there
will probably be considerable clay or gravel,
the land being worked deep, and as it is
furthermore low, compared with the sur
rounding land, perhaps timothy and red.tOp
would succeed as well as any. | have known
the two to grow together in surpassi1g abun.
dance in small valleys, between hills, the
line of sufficient drainage and abundant wa
ter meeting the point were two grasses also
may meet in full growth. But perhaps the
land is too dry for the red-top, in which case
timothy alone or in connection with some
other dry.laud grasses might do. The soil,
if rich enough, would probably do best with
orchard grass which, as have seen, is adap-
ted to this kind of soil--only, however, when
quite rich ; it will then luxuriate and yield
most satisfactory returns. Whatever seed is
sown, sow as early as the ground will admit,
and bush in or roll with heavy roller
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