370 MISCELLANEOUS FARM SUBJECTS 



among the adjoining owners, either by organizing a drainage dis- 

 trict or by having the town or county officers take charge of the 

 work. In the case of smaller areas this can frequently be done by 

 mutual agreement between two or three adjoining owners. 



Two kinds of drainage must be provided for first, surface 

 drainage, and second, subsurface drainage. It is occasionally true 

 that the construction of ditches around the edge of a marsh tract in 

 such a way as to carry off most of the water from the surrounding 

 higher land without letting it onto the marsh will reduce the wet- 

 ness of the marshland to such an extent that crops can be grown 

 without further ditching. Ordinarily, however, ditches on the 

 marsh itself are necessary. 



The necessity for subdrainage either by deep open ditches or 

 tile depends very largely upon the character of the subsoil and its 

 relation to the surrounding land. When subdrainage is necessary, 

 the use of tile makes it possible to do away with open surface ditches 

 and so greatly facilitate the operations of cultivation. Nevertheless, 

 the muck and peat of marshlands usually shrink and settle consid- 

 erably on drainage, making it often desirable to leave open ditches 

 for three or four years until this shrinking has taken place, after 

 which the ditches may be cleaned out and tile laid and covered. 



On some marshes, particularly those covering considerable areas 

 where the marsh soil is coarse fibrous peat and underlaid at relatively 

 shallow depths by coarse sand, it is possible that too thorough drain- 

 age may occur, so that crops on such land during very dry seasons 

 may suffer from lack of water. Under such conditions it is quite 

 probable that the use of dams at intervals in the mains and larger 

 lateral ditches for holding back the water during very dry seasons 

 will be found advantageous. 



Where a deep growth of sphagnum moss occurs it is usually 

 difficult or impossible to plow properly before this has been removed, 

 and the only practical method for this purpose seems to be that of 

 burning. 



While it is ordinarily not considered desirable to burn soils more 

 than is absolutely necessary, in such cases as this it can not be 

 avoided, and there is much less objection to burning on marsh lands 

 than on uplands, provided only so much of the surface is burned as 

 is necessary to permit of good breaking. Indeed, the ash from this 

 shallow surface burning adds greatly to the fertility of these lands 

 for the first few years. Where the moss has considerable depth and 

 on boggy marshes it can only be burned during a dry season and 

 in the hot summer period of July and August. Great care must, of 

 course, be used to prevent the spread of fire under such conditions. 



Whether burning is necessary or not, the summer and early 

 fall is the best time for the plowing of such lands. Where the soil 

 is of a mucky character a good stubble plow can ordinarily be used 

 successfully. Where, however, the soil is peaty, a good breaking 

 plow with very long mold board must be used, and the larger the 

 plow the more successfully can the furrow slice be turned. For this 

 reason the use of a large steam plow on such lands is very successful. 



