KINDS OF SOIL 61 



of the West except in the arid regions. Most of 

 our fresh water marshes are muck or peat. They 

 are not so numerous here, however, as in many 

 parts of Europe, especially in Ireland, one-tenth 

 of which is said to be peat bogs. These 

 soils are being made to-day, where shallow lakes, 

 ponds, streams, and swamps are being filled by the 



frowth of plants, especially the sphagnum moss; 

 ut less peat is being made now than during a 

 period in the earth's history when rainfall was 

 more abundant. 



The Value of Peat and Muck Soils. The value 

 of peat and muck soils for farming depends chiefly 

 upon the amount of mineral matter they contain 

 and upon their drainage. Some of these soils are 

 nearly 100 per cent, humus, others are but 30 

 per cent, humus. Considerable fine rock or mineral 

 soil may be blown upon peat or muck land; the 

 more of this the better. Muck, being further ad- 

 vanced in decay than peat, is more apt to become 

 serviceable as a farm soil than peat; it is, moreover, 

 more compact and usually contains more mineral 

 soil, having been above water longer. 



Many muck and some peat soils need only to be 

 drained in order to become valuable for cropping. 

 Thousands of acres of land, especially fresh marsh 

 land, have been reclaimed in this way. In Michi- 

 gan and Ohio reclaimed swamp lands are largely 

 used for growing celery and onions. Open ditches 

 are most commonly used for this purpose, these 

 soils being so loose that tile drainage is usually 

 impracticable at first, except for the most earthy 

 mucks. The result of drainage is to lower the 

 water table so that air can penetrate the soil. Many 

 peats, and some mucks in which the decay has not 

 progressed far, do not make good farm land, even 



