32 Diseases of Truck Crops 



often made of burning over peaty soils with a view 

 to improving them. This practice cannot be too 

 strongly condemned. It is difficult to see where any 

 permanent benefit can result from such treatment. 

 Moreover, burning destroys the nitrogen and the 

 organic matter, which are two valuable and expen- 

 sive assets of such a soil. Should peat ever catch fire 

 accidentally, pouring water or throwing soil on the 

 flames will not smother them. In this case it is best 

 to dig an open trench around the fire to a depth of 

 moist earth and let it burn itself out within that limit. 



Drainage. The best method of reclaiming peat 

 soils is drainage. This process is not so easily done 

 as on ordinary land because peat holds water 

 better than ordinary soils. Peat soils may be 

 drained if sufficiently large tiles are used and a 

 proper outlet is at hand. The best results are ob- 

 tained when the tiles are laid in the underlying 

 muck or clay, but not too deeply in the subsoil. 



Plowing. The second best method of improving 

 peat soils is a proper working of them. Fall plowing 

 is to be highly recommended. The peat in this case 

 is exposed to the action of the frost, rain, and snow, 

 all of which helps in the more rapid decay of the 

 organic matter. In shallow peaty layers, deep 

 plowing is of great value. This helps to mix the 

 clay with the peat and makes it more readily avail- 

 able by bringing up the potassium and the phos- 

 phorus of the subsoil. In deep peaty layers, deep 

 plowing exposes a larger part of the organic matter 

 to the air and sunlight. Rolling should never be 



