Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-07-16
Retaining Swamp Land,

We have. some time since. given an
account of the extensive operations In re-
claiming marsh lands in this state and the
gratifying success attained. Other in
instances, of less Importance as regards
the mere extent Of land under treatment.
have also been noted We have lately
seen an account of a very successful ex.
pertinent with some boys in the town OF
Chester, N. Y, the particulars Of which
are of considerable interest.
1t seems that, when the Erie railroad
was being constructed, the engineers en-
countered vast morass in Chester, cover
ing nearly five hundred acres, and filled
with treacherous quagmires and springs
that were almost bottOmless. To con-
struct foundation for the road-bed of the
railway across this great swamp required
the driving Of piles to the depth of one
hundred feet. and the use of hundreds of
thousands of loads of stones and dirt. The
building OF the mile of road necessary to
cross the swamp called for a greater out
lay of money than any five miles of the
road between Pierm0nt and Jersey City.
The tract of swamp was not considered
worth the nominal tax collected from its
owners, and for twenty years after the
road was built remained in its noisome
condition. the home of malaria and deadly
fevers.
Twenty years ago farmer conceived
the idea of draining portion of the tract
and making it tillable soil. By ditching,
he reclaimed sixty acres. The first acre
he bought cost him one dollar. When il
was found that the draining left as II soil
the finest of black muck, composed almost
entirely of vegetable mold, the price ad-
vanced TO seventeen dollars an acre. Aftel
the sixty acres were reclaimed, the price
still further increased. until to-day as high
AS one thousand dollars has been paid for
the reclaimed land. The ruling price l.
five hundred dollars an acre. The great
value of the land is owing to its extraor-
binary adaptibility to the culture of onions
A crop of eight hundred bushels of onions
to the acre is not uncommon, and the
Greycourt onion meadows are celebrated
throughout the country. About three
hundred acres are under cultivation this
year, and the success of the onion business
in the meadows has led 10 the retaining
of similar lands in other parts of the
county, and it is believed that the onion
crop of Orange county will amount to i've
hundred bushels this year. The average
price received by onion raisers is one dol
lar bushel. The average yield is three
hundred bushels to the acre. The crop is
almost invariably sold for cash as soon as
it is ready for market, and as it natures
early in the season, the farmer is allowed
abundant time TO keep his land in the
condition Necessary to its productiveness.
There are seventeen thousand acres OF
swamp land in the Waikiki Valley which
will eventually be coverled into this muck
soil. which is the best in the world fol
vegetable raising. The land, after drain
ing, is titled with the slightest labor
Onion seed is sown by hand drill, and
the greatest labor is in keeping down the
weeds after the plant begins to grow
This work is done by boys and girls. Hun.
dreds of these may be seen in the growing
season on their hands and knees between
the onion rows, pulling up the weeds thai
he rich soil calls rapidly into existence
The wedding requires skill and care. u,
The soil is so loose that there is constant
Hanger of tearing up the young ant
tender plants by their roots or removing
their covering of earth. The red onion i,
he variety grown most successfully, n
he dark muck gives the white onion ;
dirty hue which Injuries its marketable
value. When the onion tops are Mt the
height of their growth, their odor fills the
air for great distances accumulated Eng
land Farmer.