502 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



of the clays are extended areas of loams, tapering or merging in many 

 instances into sandy soils and sands. 



There are extended areas of loam soils. One of the most characteristic 

 of these includes the greater part of Menominee county, western and 

 northwestern Delta county, southern and eastern Marquette county and 

 western Alger county. 



The loams adjacent to the clay areas are frequently underlaid by 

 clay. 



Bordering Lake Michigan and Lake Huron and at points reaching 

 well northward toward Lake Superior are deposits of limestone and 

 calciferous shales. Loam soils, of which there is a considerable area, im- 

 mediately over-lying these deposits, possess splendid agricultural values. 



Swamp or Muck Soils — The chief areas of these lauds lie in the eastern 

 part of the peninsula and occupy considerable portions of the valleys 

 of the Taquamenon, Manistique and Carp Rivers. Those of the Taquame- 

 non and Manistique valleys practically merge, so slight, for some miles, 

 is the water shed separating the valleys. The depth of the swamp soils 

 range from a few inches to many feet. They are underlaid in some cases 

 by sands, and in some cases by clays or loams. 



CROr ADAPTABILITY. 



Clays — The clay soils are especially suited to the growing of grasses 

 and clovers, especially alsike clover. Indeed, so natural is alsike clover 

 to these soils that thousands of acres have become self-seeded to it. The 

 original seed undoubtedly came from hay hauled to logging camps. As 

 a rule, hay, grain and pasture crops are the principal ones grown on 

 these lands. Of the grains, wheat, oats, barley and rye produce good 

 yields. Peas do especially well, and excellent yields of clover seed are 

 obtained. The Superior clay is not suited to commercial growing of 

 potatoes. Turnips and beets are usually grown for livestock and pro- 

 duce good yields. Small fruits, especially the bush fruits, and the early 

 varieties of apples are successfully grown. 



Loams — The loams are especially suited to the grasses, clovers 

 (usually June or Mammoth), grains, potatoes and roots. Sugar beets 

 have been grown successfully in many places. It is upon these soils that 

 the Upper I*eniiisula is acquiring its reputation for yields and quality 

 of potatoes. It should be borne in mind, however, that soils closely 

 underlaid by limestone and formed in part from them, such as the soils 

 of the Upper Peninsula Experiment Station, are generally abundantly 

 affected by potato scab disease. With such a condition, in seasons favor- 

 able to the development of scab, the marketability of the crop may be 

 greatly reduced. 



Small fruits, cherries, plums and the early varieties of apples do well. 



*Muck — The muck soils of the Upper Peninsula will vary slightly, if 



*In iihe tillage of muck soils, probaWy the most difficult, and at the same time the 

 most important thing to accomplish, is fh& proper compacting of the upper twelve to eight- 

 een inches of soil. The purpose is to estaiblish proper capillary moisture relaitiions in the 

 sunface soil. IFor this purpose, a very h'Mivy roller is required, one that, with a 30 inch 

 diameter weighs somewhere from SoO pounds to SOO pounds to the linear foot. A roller 

 commonly recommended is one made by centering a shaft wit'hin 3 feet or 4 feet lengths 

 of 30 inch culvert tubing and then filling with concrete. When these lengthy are properly 

 set in a roller frame, the weight will amount to abouti 750' pounds per linear foot. The 

 advice of expects is tio roll grain at leasit at time of planting, and to roll hay meadows in 

 spring, and after cutting, and to roll pasture meadows "frequently." 



