GROUP OF POORLY DRAINED SOILS. 
69 
poses and takes on more of the character of muck. Neverthe¬ 
less, it must always he expected that marsh land will be more 
subject to the late spring frosts and the early fall frosts than 
high land. It may be stated as a general guide that the oc¬ 
currence of killing frosts is as liable on marsh land at any given 
point as it is on upland soil having good air drainage about 
150 miles farther north. In other words the marshes of Dane 
County are as liable to have a frost which will kill corn as 
early as are the upland regions of Shawano, Marathon and 
Clark Counties. The marsh land regions of Waupaca County 
are as liable to have frost two weeks or more earlier than the 
hilltops of the same latitude. This means that corn and po¬ 
tatoes, while safe crops for the upland region, are not safe for 
the marsh land, and should not be depended on as the chief 
marsh land crops. 
The native vegetation on the Peat marshes consisted chiefly 
of coarse marsh grasses, sedges, and sphagnum moss on the open 
marshes, with willow, alder, some poplar, and tamrack on the 
timbered tracts. 
By far the greater portion of the Peat is still in its wild 
state. Some tracts have been cleared and are being utilized 
for hay and pasture. The hay is made from the coarse marsh 
grasses which have a considerable lower feeding value than the 
tame grasses. Wire grass from some marches is marketed for 
making rugs and matting. In a few instances small tracts have 
been reclaimed and are being used for cultivated crops. Part 
of the tract north from Waupaca is used for growing potatoes, 
cabbage, celery, onions and other garden truck. It is well 
suited to these crops. There is no reason why a larger propor¬ 
tion of the Peat lands of this county should not be reclaimed 
and utilized for these and other cultivated crops, as well as for 
hay and pasture. 
Peat. Shallow Phase .—The shallow peat is not nearly so ex¬ 
tensive as the deep peat, although it is fairly well distributed 
throughout the area. It often forms the border between the 
highland and areas of deep peat, but some tracts are made up 
entirely of the shallow peat. 
The only difference between the two phases is that the shal¬ 
low peat has a depth of 18 inches or less, while the deep peat 
has a greater depth—usually over three feet. Both are made 
up of the same material and have the same origin. As with the 
deep peat the subsoil is variable, and conforms quite closely 
