60 MUCK CROPS 



A field of about 26 acres was thereby 

 opened to cultivation. Only about 20 acres 

 were actually tiled, so on this portion the 

 cost of tiling averaged about $16 an acre. 

 It would not be fair to include the cost of 

 the open ditch in this, because that benefits 

 the land through which it extends to an 

 amount equal to its cost. The ditch was 

 dug i foot wide at the bottom, 7 feet wide 

 at the top, and 3 feet deep, for $1.50 a rod 

 by a capstan ditcher. This is one of the few 

 places in Wisconsin where an open ditch of 

 these dimensions has been recommended. 



Results. As soon as the soil thawed in 

 the spring of 1911, the rough surface was 

 disced. This was done before work was 

 commenced in any other field on the farm. 

 About a week later, after the grain on the 

 rest of the fields had been seeded, the new 

 land was disced once more. This cut off the 

 bogs so that it was ready for the plow. After 

 some experimenting with a breaking plow 

 and sod plow, a gang of two plows pulled by 

 five horses was found to do the best work. 

 Double discing and double harrowing pre- 

 pared the land for the corn planter. 



The corn was drilled and during the sea- 



