Smyrna times., 1885-05-27
DELAWARE'S MARSHES.

The Department of Agriculture has
Just issued a report on the tide
Marshes of the United States " which
contains matter of much local interest.
Delaware occupies a good space in the
report, being represented by commu-
nlcatiOns from State Statistical Agent
). I. Budd, Chief Justice Comegvs. J.
b. FenimOre, William Reybold. A.
Colbuln, and Franklin B. Cotton. of
the National Dredging Company
corps of correspondents peculiarly we'll
qualified to discuss marsh lands and
their uses and possibilities.
Mr.. Budd classities the tide marsh
lands on the Delaware river and its
tributaries as " blue mud =" " peat" and
cat tail " marshes, ranking in value
in that order.
The first comprise a deposit of blue
mud upon white clay, are very solid,
easily ditched and banked, and, with
liberal dressing of lime, produce corn,
wheat and timothy abundantly.
The second are lower, often under
laid with sand or soft mud and cost all
they are worth to reclaim.
The third are almost irreclaimable
! and worthless when reclaimed the
mud being hard, sour and unprOduc-
| tive.
In New Castle county the marshes
have been reclaimed at an average
cost of 500 per acre and are Welding
80 to 40 bushels of wheat, 60 to rs
bushels of corn and II to % tons of
timothy per acre. In Kent there are
large stretches of reclaimable marsh
now. yielding salt hay which finds Il
market at $500 per ton. One hundred
thousand acres in Kent and Sussex,
| now breeding mosquitoes and malaria,
! might be reclaimed and made valuable
land.
Embankments and sluices are the
only means depended on for the rec
lamatiOn of Delaware marshes. and
where failure has attended the work, it
has generally been brought about bv "A
mistaken economy in not constructing
the banks of sufficient height and base
to withstand extraordinary storms.
By counties, Mr.. Budd furnishes the
following estimate of reclaimed and
unreclaimed marsh lands New Cas-
tie, 10000 acres reclaimed, $1,000 un-
reclaimed; Kent, 5000 reclaimed.
$4,000 unreclaimed; Sussex 5000 re-
| claimed, $4,000 unreclaimed. A single
glance at the figures is sufficient to re-
VlVe painful memories Of the horrors of
BehObOth during mosquito week, when
the cattle tOrsake the grass and stand
! at the edge of the surf until hunger
drives them back to snatch few
hurried mouthfuls.
As to quality, Mr. Budd rates the
| marshes Of New Castle at 75 per cent
OF blue mud and % of peat and cattail;
of Kent at so per cent. Of blue mud and
5O per cent. Of peat and cat tail, and of
Sussex at 10 per cent. of blue mud and
80 per cent. of peat and cat taih
The letters of the other gentlemen
named are likewise of much agricul-
tural and sanitary interest. Chief JUS
tice COmegys relates his experience
with Bombay Hook marsh land, of
which, he says, after trial extending
over seven years, that the substratum
| OF the reclaimed surface being made
up of mere vegetable fibre, | came to
the conclusion that, even ifthorOughly
! drained, the land would be worthless
for cultivation in grain or grass until
in the long future it became soliditied
! by stock roaming over it), by reason of
! its. excessive dryness and want of body.
lndiferently drained as it was. the sur
face would yet burn almost like finder.
and my own marsh had many holes
where the fire had burned to the mois-
ture below. In fact, there was more
danger to the banks from fire than
from storm tides, the latter of de-
structlVe nature, not occurring yearly
even, whereas gunners and others
were constantly imperiling the banks"
1t may be remarked that the judg-
ment pronounced by the Chief Justice
upon Bombay Hook marshes recalls
the verdict of similar import which
the late Samuel Townsend expressed
in language more fOrcible than elegant
to the Legislature of 1879.
We close this notice of Il report
which should be widely circulated by
the following extract from the letter
of William Reybold
If, after reclamation, marshes are kent
well drained, there is less of malarial dis
ease than when not reclaimed and the pest
of mosquitoes is almost done away. What
hinders the more rapid Improvement of
marsh lands in Delaware? Banking out
rivers and venting the waters that fall upon
the lands Is contest with nature, and the
individual is often unequal to the task
The State generally does not assist him,
but taxes his reclaimed land, in addition to
the river bank tax. The late John NJ
Clayton frequently said in my hearing that,
as a settled principle, the State and county
should never exact taxes on meadow lands.
The best high meadow is as valuable as
any upland for agricultural purposes. Be
low the best may be found every grade of
value, and some good for nothing. ."-Eccry
EUening.