“RECLAIMING WATER MEADOWS

BY  J.W. PROCTOR, DANVERS, MASS.

My dear Sir,–I am not certain, whether I did or did not, give you an assurance of a minute of my observations on my recent visit to the meadows reclaimed by Mr. Horace Ware, jr., in Marblehead.  Whether I did or not, is, perhaps, quite immaterial, as I will now sketch them, as they bear on my mind, to be used at your discretion.

The land reclaimed by Mr. Ware, is situated on the margin of a pond of five acres, in which is a depth of two or three fathoms of water, and mud without limit.  Ordinarily the water was nearly on the level with the surface of the ground, consequently it was quite wet and spongy, being covered with hassocks, bushes, and the coarsest of grasses; being one of the foulest swamps to be found in the vicinity–so much so, that it has never been estimated of any value.  About two years since, he commenced his improvement by cutting off the bushes in the winter.  He then dug a trench from the pond to the sea shore, through his own and his father’s land, by means of which, a gate as placed therein, he could let off several feet of the water–the full pond being about six feet above full tide; when this was done, he found the meadow settle between one and two feet, and become a much firmer texture.  He cut off the hassocks, dug up the roots and leveled the surface as well as he might in addition to this, he sunk a ditch all around the margin of the meadow, and laid a covered stone drain, about four feet below the surface, so effectually as to cut off all the springs or supplies of water from the shore.  Still it was so soft that his cattle could not pass upon it.  In order to plow it he fixed pullies on the shore, and drew the plow back to the edge of the pond at each furrow.  The furrows extended from one to three hundred, feet and presented the curious spectacle, at a distance, of a person holding a plow, without any apparent power to move it.  This process, though slow, was quite effectual; and in this way the land was thoroughly turned over, as would have been practicable, if the team had gone upon it.  In the season of 1850, Mr. Ware planted the ground with potatoes.  Whether he applied any manure or not, I am not advised;–I think not–as the yield was moderate–but as they were gathered without any appearance of rot, early in the season, they sold for the amount of $75 an acre, or $200 for the lot.  I should have remarked, that Mr. Ware, when he took off the hassocks and other valueless materials from the land, deposited them on the borders of the pond, and covered them so as to make a regular and beautiful border.  Upon the edge he has planted several trees.  The last winter, Mr. W. prepared a compost of gravel and night soil–four parts of gravel to one of night soil–with which he covered the entire surface of the ground, to the depth of two inches.  This, by the aid of hoes and harrows, he levelled and mingled the surface of the meadow as well as he might.  In making this compost he used thirty four loads of night soil–which is usually obtained for the labor of getting it;–but Mr. W., more fortunate than his neighbors, took it away when he was paid for taking it.  The land thus prepared on the 20th of March last, was sowed with grass-seed, clover, herbs-grass, and red top. In June, one and a half tons to the acre were mown and gathered.  In August, three-fourths of a ton to the acre of  second crop was gathered.  It is now covered with a luxuriant growth of clover, from which he expects to gather three-fourths of a ton to the acre–making the entire produce to the acre three tons.

Mr. Ware estimates the produce of the land to have fully paid for the labor applied, and that he has for his pains a beautiful meadow, that will yield him two tons of hay to the acre, for half a dozen years to come, without any additional dressing.

Mr. Ware’s successful application of labor contrasts strongly with that of his neighbor, in a field adjoining, who has swamp similarly situated, on which he has expended quite as much per acre from which he has as yet realized nothing but coarse meadow grass, scarcely worth cutting;–simply because he neglected to reduce the surface of the pond, and to cut off the springs from the shore.

Had I room, I would give you some account of Mr. Ware’s labor as superintendent of the Pickman farm, one of the most successful applications of skill and labor to be found in the vicinity of Salem.  He is one of those men who know how to hold and drive; and is not ashamed to do either, when occasion demands it.  He not only points to the field, but leads the way.

Very truly your obedient servant,

J.W. PROCTOR”

Reference Data:

Journal of Agriculture, Vol. 1, by William S. King, 1851, pages 164-5