282 STATE BOARD OF AGM CULTURE. 



REPORT OF I]XTENSION WORK ON MUCK SOILS. 



BY DR. P. M, HARMER. 



Outline of Work 



On September 1, 1921, the writer assumed the position of Assistant 

 Professor, Research Associate and Extension Specialist in muck soils at 

 Michigan Agricultural College. One-fourth time is assigned to extension 

 work, one-'half to research and one-fourth to the teaching of a course in 

 muck soils. 



The extension work laid out in 1921 by Mr. Ezra Levin, formerly in 

 charge, was in so far as possible completed and a number of changes in- 

 troduced in 1922. The extension work as now conducted falls into five 

 separate phases. 



1. Work with the county agents and farmers. Whenever county agents 

 or fanners are confronted with problems in the farming of muck and 

 ask for assistance, it is given either by letter or, if necessary, by a per- 

 sonal visit to the area. 



2. Field demonstrations and field meetings. The field demonstrations 

 generally located through the county agent are a means of carrying to 

 the community information on cultivation, cropping and fertilization of 

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

 of the neighboring farmers is held sometime during the summer. 



3. Winter Meetings. Whenever it is considered advisable or requested 

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

 are held in different localities, at which places the results of the previous 

 years work are discussed and plans made for the coming jesiv. 



4. Michigan Muck Farmers' Association: This association, with a 

 membership of approximately 1800, holds one or two meetings each year. 

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

 East Lansing, January 31 and February 1, 1922, had an attendan^ce of 

 85. ■ 



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

 graphed letters on timely subjects pertaining to muck fanning are sent 

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

 around 1800. 



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 |1800 per acre, the variation being due to the 

 extent of reclam.ation, cooipled with a highly developed intensive system 

 of truck farming on the muck in certain sections of the State. A ma- 

 jority of owners of uncultivated mucks are ignorant of the possibilities 

 of the muck for crop production. Of the total area of organic soils in the 

 State probably not more than from three to five per cent have been 

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

 opment of the soil on a large proportion of these reclaimed areas, Con- 

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



