48 MUCK CROPS 



Source of Water. If the question of out- 

 let has been settled, the next question is the 

 source of the water to be drained. If the 

 area is a small pocket of muck, either in a 

 valley or with the land sloping gently 

 toward it, the first drainage will be from 

 toward the higher and usually an open ditch 

 is best, as it will serve to catch the water 

 that conies on top of the ground during 

 heavy storms. This open ditch will prevent 

 wash-outs, as it will divert the surplus water 

 from the surface of the cultivated ground. 



Quite often, if the area to be put under 

 cultivation is only a few acres in extent and 

 is but a few feet deep, the drain around the 

 outside will be all that is necessary. If the 

 muck is so situated and shallow, and as well 

 underlaid with blue clay or an impervious 

 hard pan, it will be best to wait and see the 

 results of this outside drain before doing 

 more. Shallow muck dries out very fast 

 when the water supply is cut off, and in lay- 

 ing out drains in cases of this kind, provision 

 should be made to hold back the water in 

 dry times, or a supply of water in reserve 

 should be turned into the ditch, otherwise 

 in dry times an irrigation system will be 

 necessary. 



