CROPS 



[y m.Qs/t.o.f these deposits were lakes 

 at one time, on the shores of which plants 

 began to grow, on death sinking to the bot- 

 tom. A succession of muck-forming plants 

 can be recognized from the free floating 

 forms at the edge of the open water through 

 grass plants to tree forms. Gradually the 

 plant border extends and thickens until the 

 lake is filled, and not infrequently evidence 

 is produced that under muck beds sufficiently 

 thick to permit cultivation free water is 

 found. 



Sometimes large lakes have been drained 

 naturally, thus bringing about conditions 

 which are favorable to muck formation. 

 Good examples of the latter are the Oak Or- 

 chard swamp and the swamp in the Wallkill 

 valley in New York state, the Clyde swamp 

 in Michigan or the Sciota marshes in Ohio. 



Good illustrations of muck formation in 

 abandoned channels and backwater areas in 

 river or creek bottoms are found in the 

 Canaseraga or Conewango creek beds in New 

 York state. 



The remains of vegetation have fallen into 

 these places. The air being excluded from 

 the dead plants by the saturated condition 

 and the temperature being held low, little 



