MUCK AND PEAT. 7 



IMPROVEMENT IN SOIL EFFICIENCY. 



In many instances reclaimed areas of Peat or Muck have proved 

 a disappointment to their owners when cleared, drained, and brought 

 under cultivation. The dark color of the material and its evident 

 high content of organic matter have persuaded those familiar with 

 the indications of fertility among upland soils that the peat or muck 

 deposits must be extraordinarily fertile because they possess these 

 characteristics. Yet in many instances it has been found necessary 

 to make considerable applications of mineral fertilizers and even of 

 stable manure to such soils before they could be brought to a highly 

 profitable condition of cultivation. Among the fertilizers which 

 have been used to the best advantage may be mentioned the various 

 potash salts and the different combinations of phosphoric acid. It 

 has been found that both potash and phosphoric acid produce large 

 increases in yield when applied liberally to these soils. Heavy appli- 

 cations of coarse stable manure have also proved of great advantage 

 upon many areas. It may be that the bacterial condition of these 

 freshly drained organic soils is not favorable to the- growth of certain 

 crops and that this deficiency is supplied through applications of 

 stable manure. 



For the production of cabbage, onions, beets, and turnips upon 

 Peat and Muck it is usually advisable to apply considerable quantities 

 of lime. This may be added in the form of caustic lime, slaked and 

 spread upon the soil at the rate of about 1 ton per acre, or by applying 

 2 to 3 tons per acre of ground limestone. Not infrequently larger 

 applications of these materials have proved very beneficial. It has 

 even been found profitable to add nitrates to soils of this class for the 

 production of such crops as celery and lettuce. Where available in 

 any quantity, wood ashes have been found of considerable value for 

 the growing of corn and oats upon mucky soils. 



LIMITATIONS UPON SPECIAL CROPS. 



Peat and Muck are primarily adapted to the production of special 

 rather than general farm crops. They have been found, experi- 

 mentally, to constitute particularly favorable soils for the growing of 

 cabbage, celery, onions, lettuce, turnips, table beets, and peppermint. 

 Potatoes are also grown to advantage upon many muck areas, but 

 something of high quality is sacrificed to large yields in the majority 

 of instances. 



Practically all of these special crops depend for their value upon 

 the accessibility of markets which will absorb a large volume of each 

 crop and will maintain a reasonably constant demand. As a result, 

 only small areas of the great aggregate acreage of Peat and Muck 

 have been reclaimed and brought under cultivation. The initial 



