How To Use A Bog Meadow

Mr. John B. Sands, of Vailsgate, NY., read a paper on the best inethod of reclaiming a bog meadow, before the New York Farmers' Club : " A gentleman wants to know how to reclaiin or improve a bog meadow. There are different kinds of soil on which bogs grow, but they grow nowhere.except there is an excess of water. ïhey are a .nuisance ; they start grass early on their hummocks, but it is soon so coarse and tough that no üow or horse will eat it. The first thing is, drain it well, cut a main ditcb. ; thea if there are springs on its border on the outside, dig your drains so as to ent them all off. If you have your outlet, this is the main drain, so low as to carry all the surplus water off, your bogs will die in a short time, making it an eay matter to cut them off by using a stout bog hoe made for the purpose. Do not pile them up on the ground but draw off, make a pile of old rubbish, wood and stunips that will make or start a good fire in the heap ; onoe well on fire they will burn till they are all consumed, making you a fine lot of ashes. Make your ditches somewhat in the shape of the letter V, slanting on each side toward the bottom. Be Bure and not leave the bog dirt to remain on the side of your ditohes, but draw off to some upland ; it will pay you well for so doing. The first year plow as well as you can, harrow well some dry day, ttow it with turnip seed in July, using guano, about 400 pounds to the acre. I have raised them to weigh 15 pounds each. If the ground on the meadow is pure bog dirt, with marl underneath, you can neit year venture to sow onion seed. They are the best erop to raise on such ground, at least I find they pay the best. Cabbage is the next best, cuoumbers are the next, but they are apt to grow crooked if the ground is not kept dry enough. Beets, carrots and parsneps I have tried, but they will not grow to any length, owing to the continued moisture below. I am now setting out a large piece with the colossal asparagus, as 1 find it takes kindly to the soil. Have tried potatoes, but if the season is too wet the potatoes will set on the vines above ground, and the erop will be a failure. Fodder corn I raise in large quantities, and with but little labor. " It requires doep drainage ; the water must be got off, or else your labor will be lost. It also requires good judgment, common sense, labor and iudustry to keep it so. Your ditches must be Jcept well, and at least once a year cleaned out. The top of the water in your ditches should be two feet from the top of the ground ; and'if the soil is deep you can raige orops for many years with but little manure or othor fertilizers."