MUCK AND PEAT. 9 



tered with this crop has been the liability of the grain to make a 

 heavy growth of straw which becomes lodged with consequent 

 damage to the grain. This is usually remedied, in part, by the 

 liberal use of the mineral fertilizers. 



Among the grass crops suited to muck-land conditions timothy 

 hay is the most profitable. Frequently a pure seeding of timothy is 

 secured which will cut from 1 tons to 2 tons per acre. Usually 

 alsike clover is seeded with the timothy, especially upon farms where 

 the hay is to be fed to dairy cows or to cattle raised for fattening. 

 The mixed hay has a somewhat higher feeding value forfneat cattle. 

 Alsike is better suited to production upon Muck than any other 

 clover, since it will grow well upon moist to wet soils which have not 

 yet become fully sweetened by the application of lime. When the 

 land has been fully subdued and lime has been supplied, the medium 

 red clover will also make a good growth. 



In some of the more northern areas, where corn may not be grown 

 to advantage except upon the best-drained soils, potatoes constitute 

 the intertilled crop adopted for muck areas. The yields secured are 

 usually heavy, ranging from 150 bushels to 350 bushels per acre. It 

 is sometimes the case that the quality of the tubers is not so good 

 as of those grown upon drier, upland soils, but the extraordinarily 

 heavy yields compensate for any slight defect hi quality. Heavy 

 applications of fertilizer high in sulphate of potash have been found 

 to give good results when used in connection with potato growing 

 upon Muck. 



Buckwheat has also been used as a small-grain crop on the more 

 northern occurrences of Peat and Muck. Buckwheat matures in a 

 shorter growing season than almost any other common farm crop 

 and it also aids in shading the ground for the repression of noxious 

 weeds. 



Corn, oats, buckwheat, hay, and potatoes constitute the crops 

 most extensively grown upon reclaimed areas of Muck. They are 

 the general farm crops best suited to production upon land of this 

 character. 



Muck lands have secured their principal reputation as agricultural 

 soils through the production of certain exceptionally valuable special 

 crops. 



In the northeastern and north-central States celery is probably 

 the most important crop for muck-land production. It grows luxuri- 

 antly and produces heavy crops upon the partially drained soils of 

 this character. The soft, easily worked Muck is favorable to the 

 large amount of cultivation and ridging required for the proper grow- 

 ing and blanching of the celery. This crop, which has established the 

 reputation of southern Michigan, is chiefly grown upon drained muck 

 areas. Similarly, extensive areas of Muck have been drained and 



