10 SOILS OF THE EASTEEN UNITED STATES. 



devoted to celery culture in central and eastern New York. An acre 

 of celery will contain from 18,000 to 20,000 plants and will produce 

 from 900 to 1 ,000 dozen of bunching plants. Early celery is frequently 

 produced upon the more eastern muck beds, being set in double 

 rows, so that a single set of blanching boards may serve for both rows. 

 This celery is frequently marketed sufficiently early to permit of the 

 use of the land for spinach or some other succession crop. The value 

 of a celery crop, of course, varies, but an acreage output ranging from 

 $200 to $300 is not at all unusual. The cost of growing may be 

 estimated at $80 to $120 per acre. Land which is especially well 

 located for the growing of this crop frequently brings an annual 

 rental of $20 to $30 per acre. 



Onions constitute another favorite crop with those who make 

 intensive use of muck lands. In some of the New York State areas 

 where onion growing upon muck land is a special industry yields of 

 400 to 800 bushels per acre are secured, with a general average of 500 

 bushels. Both the yellow and red varieties are grown, with a smaller 

 acreage of white onions. The onions are grown from the seed and 

 special precautions are taken to prevent the blowing away of the soil 

 and seed before the latter has germinated. Windbreaks of quick- 

 growing trees are planted and the growers endeavor to keep the sur- 

 face soil moist until the young plants are well established. 



In more southern areas corn, oats, rice, and cotton constitute the 

 principal crops grown upon drained areas of Muck. In eastern 

 North Carolina and at other points along the Atlantic coast corn 

 gives yields of 30 to 65 bushels per acre, oats produce from 30 to 40 

 bushels, rice yields 35 to 40 bushels, and cotton attains a production 

 of two thirds to 1^ bales per acre. These yields are considerably hi 

 excess of those which are normally secured upon adjacent upland 

 soils. The mineral fertilizers give good results when applied to crops 

 grown upon these muck areas of the Coastal Plain, and applications of 

 lime 'produce such marked results that the portion of the fields to 

 which it has been applied may be distinguished to the single row. 



Muck soils produce practically all of the peppermint that is 

 grown in the Eastern States. Michigan leads in the production of this 

 crop and seems to be able to grow practically all of the mint which 

 can find a market in the form of peppermint oil at the present time. 



The mint is usually planted in the spring, though some growers 

 practice fall planting. The roots for transplanting are secured from 

 an old field and, after the land has been prepared by plowing and har- 

 rowing, the roots are scattered in trenches which are opened to a 

 depth of about 6 inches, with 3 feet between rows. The rootstocks are 

 dropped in these trenches and covered. It is very essential to keep 

 the weeds subdued for the first year after planting, since their presence 

 depreciates the product of the still. Machine cultivation is effective 



