EXPERIMENT STATION REPORTS. 313 



of muck soils. Wherever satisfactory results are secured a field meeting 

 of the neighboring farmers is held sometime during the summer. 



3. Winter meetings. Wherever it is considered advisable or requested 

 either by county agents or farmers, winter meetings of the muck farmers 

 are held in different localities, at whicli places the results of the pre- 

 vious year's work are discussed and plans made for the coming year. 



4. Micliigmi Muck Farmers' Association. This association, w^ith a 

 membership of approximately 1,800, holds one or two meetings each year. 

 The writer is secretary of the association. The winter meeting held at 

 East Lansing, January 31 and Februarv 1, 1922, had an attendance of 

 85. 



5. Muck Farmers' News Letter. At intervals during the year mime- 

 ographed letters on timely subjects pertaining to muck farming are 

 sent to all muck farmers on our mailing list. At present this numbers 

 around 1,800. 



DEVELOPMENT OP MUCK FARMING IN MICHIGAN 



The total area of the muck and peat soils of Michigan is estimated 

 at between 3,000,000 and 4,000,000 acres. The value of this land varies 

 from practically nothing up to |1,800 per acre, the variation being due 

 to the extent of reclamation, coupled with a highly developed intensive 

 system of truck farming on the muck in certain sections of the State. 

 A majority of owners of uncultivated mucks are ignorant of the possi- 

 bilities of the muck for the crop production. Of the total area of organic 

 soils in the state probably not more than three to five per cent have been 

 reclaimed by even slight drainage. Little has been done in the develop- 

 ment of the soil on a large proportion of these reclaimed areas. Consid- 

 erable is being used for wild hay or pasture, but, generally with both, 

 yield is low and quality poor. Many times these idle muck areas are 

 surrounded by fertile upland soil, often lying adjacent to the farmstead, 

 and in that way lowering the value and injuring the appearance of 

 the farm. Where a high development of muck farming has been reached, 

 very good returns are secured, values of |800 to |1,000 per acre from 

 such crops as celery and onions not being uncommon. 



A higher ^percentage of failures occurs in the farming of Michigan 

 muck and peat lands than is true in the farming of any other type of 

 soil. This is due to the fact that the problems confronting the muck 

 farmer are decidedly different and harder to overcome than those met 

 with on mineral soil. Sufficient drainage, without excessive drainage, 

 must be secured, and proper cultural methods must be adopted before 

 crops can be produced. Danger of summer frosts and winter killing, 

 the chemical composition of the muck, high or low lime, and market 

 deman<l must be considered in the selection of crops to be grown. As 

 the natural fertility of organic soils is generally depleted after a very 

 few crops have been grown, fertilization of the muck soon becomes an 

 important factor in crop production. 



The area of muck in the State now used for the production of celery 

 has been placed at 3,500 acres, of which 3,000 acres is used for commercial 

 growing. A considerable area also is used for the growing of mint. 

 Both erf these crops have a limited market demand. At the present 



