EXTENSION DIVISION. 283 



yield is low and quality poor. Many times these idle miick 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 |1000 per acre from 

 such crops as celery and onions not being uncommon. 



It is quite generally admitted that a kigher percentage of failures 

 occurs in the farming of Michigan muck and peat lands than is true in 

 the fanning 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, the market demand must be considered in the selection of crops to 

 be grown. As the natural fertility of organic soils generally is 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 celeiy 

 has been placed at 3500 acres, of which 3000 acres is used for commercial 

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

 these crops have a limited market demand. At the present time there is 

 ai considerable over-production of mint oil, resulting in a marked decrease 

 in price. Until further work has been done on the storage of celery for 

 winter and spring market, any large increase in celeiy acreage would 

 likewise result in rendering celery growing unprofitable. Because of 

 this fact, the tendency of the extension work with muck soils is to direct 

 the prospective muck fanner toward a system of diversified farming, with 

 a selection of crops which are in general demand, adapted to muck soils 

 and which at the same time are abje to withstand, without injuiy, a con- 

 siderable amount of frost. 



THE FIELD DEMONSTRATION 



1. General Crops. For the purpose of demonstrating to the farmer, 

 whose farm contains a muck area, the crops for which his muck is suited 

 and to show him the need of proper fertilization for the production of 

 good yields, co-operative experimental projects have been established on 

 various muck areas scattered over the State. Various crops suited to 

 muck soil are treated with a number of fertilizers, applied alone and in 

 combination on the different plots. This method is essential because 

 different muck deposits vary considerably in fertilizer requirements. 

 Results from two of tlie crops grown on one of these projects in 1921 

 are given in Table 1. Thirteen of these projects with general farm crops 

 have been located for the season of 1022. These are locatd on the farms 

 of Clifford Morse, Allegan Co., E. W. Kingery, Berrien Co., J. H. Cornell, 

 Clinton Co., H. Thorpe, Eaton Co., Jotham Allen, Gratiot Co., M. A. 

 Wright, Huron Co., A. L. Johnson, Leslie and W. A. Thomas, Lansing, 

 Ligham Co., Thomas Graham, Lapeer Co., H. I. Sippy, Oceana Co., J. D. 

 Goldberg, Ottawa Co., Charles AVadsworth, St. Joseph Co. and E. V. 

 Root, Van Buren Co. The area of each of these projects varies from one 

 to two acres in extent. A copy of the fertilizer treatments is given in 

 Table 2. 



