Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-12-23
fmmer's department.
Swamp HIucA,

One of the mistakes in the use of muck, is
that incorporating it with the SOL while YET
fresh from the swamp, or with too short sea
SOuing. 1t might suffice as a caution against
committing this Lluuder if we were to point
cut The grounds, in reason, science and COM
mon sense, which Indicate, more or less plainly
that injurious results are likely toEuPPcE when
mnck is spread and pioughed in in Il wet ana
fresh condition. But oac fact may make
deeper impression and be more convincing thah
a score of oncn5tratiOES on Specuiat We or
scientific grounds In the pages OF the recent
" issacd Patent Office Report, we find state
mont based on some few facts or observations
a> TO this matter the substance OF which We
herewith submit, with the hope that It's more
extensive dissemination may prevent similar
mistakes in others and in future. The article
from which derive the information in the fol
lowing abstract was written by Hon Simon
Brown. of Concord Mass He says that in
extensive low muck swampS the quality Of the
material is often widely different. as may fire,
ouently he seen when these swampS are drain
cd aud long ridges of muck are thrown up ON
the edges of the ditch. If thrown up III
autumn or winter, there will be rank growth
of weeds or grasses on some portions OF TINS
ridge in the following summer, indicating great
fertility in the muck below, while other por-
tons will he entirely bare, or at best but par
tally covered with Stuuted IungIor moss
These barren spots are sometimes covered WIN
a wliiiSh-ycllOw substance, or with phatc
iron "Muck Of this latt description, spread
upon pasture or moving lands, has been known
to prevent the growth OF grass for maay years
in succession and Wheu poughcd and cult
waited, aquatic grasses and plants spring up IN
urOfuSiOn and can only he crad,cItCd by a
most careful AMI expensive process Of cnltlYa-
tom Cases have come under his observation
in which the cost or trOube of cultiyating a
corn crop has been doubled by the Introduction
of these plants with this kind Of muck, will
out being seasoned or compOSted These plants
are not finally sul dued without much labor,
andi allowed to 90 to seed, will establish a
colony of intruderS upon farm which it will
be exceedingly difficult to eject. The caution
suggested by such facts is obvious viz, tina:
farmers should exercise dissemination as to the
gU7hiy Of the muck they use, and that Eonc
should be used until it had been seasoned Ly
winters freezing and Il summers drying and
Sprouting of seeds, or by being compostcd after
some seasoning. 1t may, indeed, be laid down
us Il peHCIdl Iul'I lHdLi ~ lHSuIC liN Lul. 'IHC'
fetal efficiency and safety, muck should always
have been thrown cut one or two years before
being used either as a top dressing for moving
lands Or for admiXture with titled soils or for
absorbing liquid manurcs, or for compost
ing with fertizing matter Of any kind -
Without exposure for such length Of time,
and some working over in the interim, muck
cannot become sufficiently dry, or sufficiently
pulverized to be fit for any Of the above pur-
poses The moisture with which 1t is saturat
cd, being poisonous or unfayorable to cu1'jrat
ed crops, should be got rid of by exposure to
rain and sum- and, in addition, by admiXturc
with lime or ashes and then it should be
thoroughly dry and finely pulyerizcd.-Countr
Gentleman.