62 MUCK CROPS 



tained. From the remaining 13 acres, the 

 yield was 20 double boxes, or 500 bushels of 

 shelled corn. This is not an exceptional 

 crop, but fair, nevertheless, when it is re- 

 membered that no manure was added to the 

 land. The crop of corn was enough to pay 

 for the tile and leave a fair balance to pay 

 for the cost of cultivation. The owner tiled 

 the adjoining area of 20 acres during 1912. 



Another, area in New York. Open ditches 

 were changed to tile by Bonney & Ware of 

 Batavia, N. Y. Mr. Bonney explains as fol- 

 lows: 



"The proposition on our own farm, where 

 we have reclaimed and utilized .more than 

 50 acres of muck land, is the only one of 

 which I can speak with authority. We have 

 in the neighborhood of 100 acres which is 

 strictly good muck and quite deep. We be- 

 gan operations about nine years ago by 

 clearing and cultivating a few acres of this 

 soil. Most of it was in timber, some of which 

 was thick and heavy, and other parts cov- 

 ered only by brush. 



"Our drainage problem has from the first 

 been a rather peculiar one. We have a large 

 spring on the upper side of the muck area 





