The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1882-10-18
1Iuck.-Whnt L. Muck:

MuCks-t Hill 10 INV
In England muck means manure
In "Pilgrim's Progress" "the mar
with the muck-rake" was searching
for good in the cutters filth; but not
fuding that for which he searched
muck is money" is an English farm
er's proverb, the meaning of which
is clear enough. When agricultural
| writer's in America talk about muck
they mean swamp muck, and by this
substance of a peaty character, rich IN
humus, of dark brown or nearly BLACK
color, consisting of the remains OF
plants which have undergone partial
decomposition under the constant IN
huence of water. This has no con-
slant composition or appearance other
than indicated. In peat-beds the true
peat is often several feet deep, and
there may be a good deal OF slmllal
material which is crumbly, more or
less mixed with earth or sand,
and unfit for fuel Other deposits
aboundin which there snopeatf fit to use
as fuel, but with an abundance OF other
material usefulto farmers and properly
enough called muck. This is black
soil, at least half of which will burn
away when dry. 1t often dries hard
like clay or bricks. 1t crumbles under
the inf of frost and air and often
simply by drying. This substance, in
GLIDING all varieties of peat, is or may
be made useful in every soil not OF
peaty nature to begin with. 1t is often
rich in nitrogen, the most costly ingre'
dent of fertilizers, often contains phos'
phate of lime and other valuable ash
ingredients. BY its decomposition IN
the soil, its absorbent action, its promo
ton of other decompositions and
changes in the soil, it's presence is al
ways beneficial. Under some peculiar
circumstances these effects are HIN
dered, probably by the presence OF or
ganic acids in the peat. Tosuch peats
and mucks the term "sour" is fifty ap'
piled by farmers. They may, however,
be n%eutralized, or, so to speak, sweet
ened by lime. Fresh burnt lime rap
idly absorbs water and falls into a fine
dry powder. The muck is spread II
LAYERS a few inches in thickness, and
lime in this form is spread thinly ovel
it. 1t is not necessary to be &C
curate in regard to proportions, but
best to be uniform. II the muck layer
he about four or five inches thick, hall
a bushel of lime will be sufficient for &
space of ten feet by ten, or 100 square
feet, and may even be used for double
that area. The muck being piled uI
in layers each receiving its quota OF
lime becomes changed-more easily
pulverized and disintegrated, equally
useful as an absorbent, and a superior
ingredient of cOmposts.
The muck or peat of some localities
may be applied directly to the land
either fresh dug, ifdry enough to haul
in which condition it is best to apply ii
in the autumn, so that it may become
ameliorated by the frosts and thaw'
ings of winter, or after such weather
ing. Other kinds of muck cannot be
used advantageously without compost
ing with lime or manure, or with
ashes, or some other active substance
while that of some localities applied
raw is positively deleteriOus to the
crops of the first year.
AS a general rule muck may bemade
most useful in ordinary farm opera
tions by mixing it with manure from
the stable, in the cow-yard, the pig
pens or the sheep-yards, and it is safe
to say that the addition of muck OF
good quality in this way may easily
double or triple the value of the ma.
nure made upon the farm. That is,
yard capable of furnishing under ordi'
nary circumstances 100 loads of ma
nure, may be made to furnish twice OF
three times as much, both in quantity
and value.-American AgrtculturiSt.