20 EXPERIMENT STATION EECORD. 



three sections of the northern part of the State; one in the northeast, another in 

 the nortli-ceutral j)ortion, largely in Oneida and Vilas counties, and the third 

 in the northwestern portion." 



From observations and experiments on such soils in different parts of the 

 State the authors recommend a system of cultivation, cropping, and fertilizing 

 which is designed to supply the deficiency of these soils in organic matter and 

 nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash, correct acidity, and improve their physi- 

 cal condition. 



The development of marsh soils, A. R. Wiiitson and F. J. Sien'ers ( Wis- 

 co7Jfiiii Sta. Bui. 205, pp. 22, figft. S). — It is stated that "Wisconsin has between 

 two and one-half and three million acres of marsh lands. While a part of this 

 area is in large marshes of 25,000 to 100,000 acres, by far the largest area 

 occurs in smaller tracts scattered over a large portion of the State. The only 

 considerable part of the State largely devoid of marsh land is in the extreme 

 southwestern section. As a result of the wide distribution of these lands, 

 thousands of farms contain a small area of this class of soil." 



Observations and experiments on soils of this character in different parts of 

 the State led to the conclusion that with proper drainage and soil management 

 much of this land can be made very productive. The first requirement is the 

 organization of drainage districts to secure drainage on a large scale. 



" Proper tillage of marsh lands is of the utmost importance. Heavy rolling, 

 by packing the loose peat soil, produces a firmer seed bed which is better 

 adapted to cultivated crops, especially small grains. 



" Fertilization of marsh soils is important on account of the unbalanced 

 condition of the elements which they contain. Marsh soils are excessively rich 

 in nitrogen, but are frequently deficient in phosphorus and potash. While 

 barnyard manure will supply the last two elements, these can be supplied in 

 commercial fertilizers, allowing the use of barnyard manure on upland soils 

 where its nitrogen as well as its mineral elements are needed. Under such 

 special conditions it is profitable to use commercial fertilizers supplementing 

 the manure of the farm. 



"Acidity develops in marsh soils quite commonly where lime carbonate is not 

 brought in from surrounding higher land. This acidity, however, does not inter- 

 fere with the growth of crops provided the soil is properly fertilized. Very 

 commonly acid soils require phosjihate fertilizers as well as potash. The 

 acidity of marsh soils in the southeastern part of the State is very generally 

 neutralized by the lime carbonate in the water seeping in from the surrounding 

 higher lands of this limestone section. 



" The crops best adapted to marsh lands include corn, potatoes, cabbage, buck- 

 wheat, and timothy and alsike clover for hay. When the soil is thoroughly 

 firmed by rolling, small grains can be grown, of which wheat and barley are 

 best, with oats and rye second. Excellent tame grass pastures can be devel- 

 oped on these marshes with proper care." 



CorLtribution to the theory of soil drainage, E. IvRiJGER (Mitt. Kaiser 

 Wilhelms Inst. Landw. Bromherg, 3 (1911), No. 3, pp. W-163, pis. 3, flgs. 6).-— 

 The author discusses Spottle's theory of soil drainage, and reports results of 

 drainage investigations from which the following conclusions are drawn : 



As the distance from the drain increased the effect of drainage on the water 

 level was in proportion to the square root of the depth, and was the same for 

 heavy and light soils. Given the same distance between drains, the drainage of 

 a field was more uniform for a pervious than for an impervious soil. The dis- 

 charge increased with the permeability of the soil, but was substantially less 

 I'apid than the latter. However, the increase in discharge was greater with 

 deeper than with shallower drains, thus showing the superiority of the former. 



