AdKK'l LTVKK OF JACKSON COUNTY. 
71 
land do not have sufficient drainage at present. Then, too, 
much of the land is raw, fibrous peat, and this class of soil re¬ 
quires special methods of cultivation and fertilization in order 
to make its development profitable. It may be stated that 
most of the marsh land in Jackson county is at present unim¬ 
proved. The most extensive use which is being made of the 
marsh land is for wild hay, for moss, and wire grass. Some of 
the marsh is also utilized for pasture. 
The cranberry industry mentioned elsewhere has been devel¬ 
oped almost entirely on peat soils, and where this development 
has taken place, thorough drainage is not wanted in that imme¬ 
diate vicinity. With the proper construction of reservoir and 
ditches, however, the development of cranberry industry, and 
the development of farming on cultivated lands need not inter¬ 
fere materially with one another, since the drainage water from 
one tract may be used at a lower point on the cranberry bogs. 
It is believed that there is a sufficient fall so that practically 
all the marsh lands in this county can be successfully drained. 
Where an area of low land includes part of several farms, the 
owners can form a drainage district and sell bonds to pay for 
the improvement. This is the method which has been used, and 
a number of drainage districts have already been established 
in the county. In this way the cost of drainage can be spread 
over a number of years and paid for from the products of the 
improved acres. Assistance in the development of such proj¬ 
ects can, and in fact, must be secured from the state authori¬ 
ties who pass upon the practicability of the project before 
the court permits the organization of a drainage district. Where 
the areas of marsh land are small and confined to one farm, and 
where there is an outlet, the farmer can install tile drains and 
establish his own drainage system. 
For a more detailed discussion of drainage see bulletins 284 
and 309, Wisconsin Experiment Station. 
LIMING 
Most of the soils in Jackson county are thought to be in need 
of lime. All of the soil types show an acid condition which 
ranges from slight to strong in degree. The subsoils of many 
of the types also show some acidity to a depth of from two to 
three feet. The heavy light colored upland soils are usually 
