MUCK SOILS IN NEW YORK: THEIR NATURE AND 

 DISTRIBUTION 



Elmer 0. Fippin 

 Professor of Soil Technology, Cornell University, Ithaca. N. Y. 



Muck soil is made of the partially decayed 

 remains of plants that have accumulated in 

 swampy places. The swampy condition is 

 responsible for their occurrence. Muck soils 

 should be differentiated from those swampy 

 soils that are rich in organic matter but not 

 sufficiently rich so that they are combustible. 

 There is a wide range in the character of 

 such material. The plant substances of 

 which it is composed may lie only slightly decayed, in which case 

 the material is fibrous and shows the plant tissues. Such a soil 

 is called peat and because of its high content of organic matter is 

 sometimes used for fuel. Muck soil represents the advanced stage 

 of decay of the organic matter where the material has lost its fibrous 

 nature and become fine and pulverant. All degrees of decay may 

 be encountered and there is consequently a wide variation in the 

 physical properties and, therefore, in the agricultural value of the 

 material. 



GEXERAL CHARACTERISTICS 



'Flic chief characteristics of muck soil may be summarized as 

 follows : 



1. It is predominately organic in nature and has a dark brown 

 or black color. The more advanced the stage of decay the darker 

 is the color. 



2. It is accumulated under swampy conditions and is naturally 

 saturated with water. The material has a very large capacity for 

 water and will absorb from 60 to 85 per cent, of its volume of 

 water. 



3. The shrinkage of the material when it dries is very large. 



Consequently, when completely drained the deeper deposits may 



settle two or three feet. Ordinarily the settling is a few inches 



to a foot or more. 



[1238] 



