The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-06
The .farmer's department.
Digging Muck or Peat.


With nil that has been said upon the value
Of this substance for manure, the last ten
years, it is not half appreciated, The ma
.rity of our farmers have never used 1t, ana
few Of them who use il, condnct their opera
tions so carefully as to know how much 1t is
worth. I am writing in sight of clover
field dressed with muck, with blossoms all
over in praise of the article. Lubin never
sent out such perfume as come up from this
mucl-plastered meadow. The g,n raj con-
vction is that muck is god on hungry,
erayelly soils, and loose sands. 1t is, for
have found it thus, and seen the results
1t may not be known that it is also good on
muck lands That meadow now so luxuriat
with clover, good for three tons to the acre. is
a reclaimed swamp, and the manure was
simply dried muck and fish pomace at the
rate of not Cyer five dollars to the acre. We
have repeatedly tried stable manure compost
ed with muck the same meadow, with SINH
lar results. The popular faith that it is best
for gravelly soils, is undoubtedly Greet but
', is is alb ut god enough, when coMpostel, tor
| even IecId luCu HuCh N---
fact is not without its analogies. 1t is well
known that soils made up in part from lime
> rock are much benefited by applications Of
: lime; and granite soils which are supposed
> to Le rich in potash from the decomposed
fieldspar. show at once tie effects OF wooC
u ashes
e The muck is ameliorsted by the manure OF
-e ashes with which we have mixed it, and
l. shows its good effects upon the grass in
ss powerful manner After using muck for tel
d wars and more, we should hardly know hoV
Ii TO farm on soils without it. The present
le the best season in the whole year to dig 1t
I'd The swamps are now, many Of them, with
I'd out water enough to be troublesome, ana Ill
lie water is 50 warm. that one can stand IN
ot la. eiooted all day without danger u iakh
cold. Then the warm season is much u
best for cur M the muck. When thrown ol
g. upon the ditch, it is drained Of It's superi'
e, Jus water at once, and is heated in the SUI
at The outside of the heap veiy soon become
: as dry as powder and much finer than con
n mon soil. In this dry condition it is ben
ne # it lies on the bank, and still more bench
NIL ted if is carried to the yards and stables
he is one of the best deodurizers for sink drain
ng privy vaults, and barn cellars, and ia m
1t should always keep good suppy Oh a.
'ui and if possible, hay. it sheltered ready t
use. There is a great difference in the val
It's, OF muck, owing to the trees and shrubs trD
b s the decay Of which it isapplied to land. 1
for summer curing before it goes to tie comp
md heap, OF the stables we regard as very l
ar portant. Withot attempting to account
lad the philosophy of the fact it does undergo
18th very rapid change in hot westher, and
ark comes much more available for plant food
ion the compost heap. If it is to be in the co
the post heap six months or year beflre usl
the summer exposure is of less importan
life Muck digging ought to havo regular pl
rels in the yearly routine of labor. On the VIII
ain we have never found any farm operation
the pay quite SO we'll.