Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-05-26
MUCK LANDS And HOW TO MAKE THEM PAY
BY w. j. Jones, associate chemist
OF the Indiana Agricultural Experiment Station.

Every country In the world contains
considerable areas of swamp land,
much of which is covered with a
formation of muck or peat. The size
of these formations varies from a frac-
ton of an acre to tracts containing sew
eral thousand acres. In many states
OF the union, such as Indiana Illinois,
wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa
and Florida, these formations are SO
large and numerous hat their aggre-
gate areas amount to from l,0OO 10
5000 square miles in each state. so
general is the distribution of these
lands that nearly one-half of the Amer
lear experiment stations have devoted
attention TO them. They are known
under various local names, such as
swamp, muck, peat, marsh, tamarack,
hackmatack, muskeg, alkali and bogus.
The last two names are applied to
those that are u~nproductive. The term
alkali is moi properly applied TO such
lands, and the unproductivenesS is not
due to alkali in the usual sense or
that term. These soils have been form
ed from water plants of various sorts,
which have been partially preserved by
the water covering them. Genuine peat
is formed by a moss which dies below
while continuing its growth above.
The most Of these lands fall into two
general classes: First, beds of COM
p~aratively pure peat or muck surround
ed by and resting on mari or clay
formations, sometimes with Inc or
gravel layers. Second, areas of black
humus alternating with low ridges of
sandy soil and mixed to a greater or
less extent with sand.
These lands are not we'll suited for
the production OF small grains, but
when properly handled become of the
highest value for the production of
corn, potatoes, onions, celery, pepper
mint, miilet, pasture grasses, buck
wheat, and in Europe they are also
used for the production OF sugar beets.
The first thing 10 be done is TO drain
them. The drainage should be as deep
as possible, since these soils compact
a good deal when the water is remov-
ed. The permanent water level ought
to be reduced below AZ inches from the
surface for the best results. Especial
attention should be given to cutting
off the water which may flow from
surrounding lands AMI 10 springs near
the margin of the formation. BY
doing this the water level may often
be reduced without using much tile in
the muck itself, the lower brown layers
of which are very apt to close up the
Joints and pores of the tile. A ditch
around the marsh and one open ditch
through 1t is often all that Is neces-
sary.
After these lands are drained they
will generally produce two or more
very good corn crops, but after a time
the corn becomes chaffy, and on some
of the lands not even stalks will grow.
Coarse n can be used TO increase
the yields, but the characteristic and
valuable ingredient of the manure, the
nitrogen, is not needed. and the manure
can be used to much better advantage
on higher lands.
Field tests and chemical examina-
lions OF these soils agree in pointing
out that the element always lacking
in these soils is potash. Where the
land will produce no sound corn, 200
pounds per acre of muriate of potash
should be used. Where a moderate
crop of corn can be raised, 100 pounds
per acre will be enough. On the muck
lands that contain considerable sand II
often pays TO use some phosphoric acid
in addition to the above amounts OF
potash. This can be obtained by using
100 pounds OF acid phosphate or or
steamed o per acre.
When II is impossible to reduce the
water level to more tina two feet be-
low the surface, the use OF $50 pounds
of muriate OF potash per acre has re-
suited In profitable corn crops.
On the l.. G. Nice farm, In Tippe-
III NO1AAh% th1 ao& VI Boaha VI
muriate of potash to the acre on muck.
having a water level at planting OF IL
inches and at harvest OF "a inches. ave
42.3 bushels of corn per acre, while the
plats on which no potash was used
gave 16.2 bushels. On potash plats co.,
per cent. OF the corn was sound, while
on plats to which no potash was APP
piled, only 80 per cent. was sound.
The muriate OF potash should be APP
piled broadcast before blowing or after
plowing and before narrowing. Do not
apply II In the Hill with a fertilizer at
tachmeat. since IL Is so concentrated
and so soluble that II may retard or
prevent termination. unless II should
rain very oon after the crop IL planted.
While II Is not customary 10 apply
potash salts to such lands until their
productiyeness Is reduced. some expert
ments conducted last year on lands
that were piowed for the first time.
proved that II was profitable TO use II
on the first crop. the increased value
OF the crop on the ferttlized pats over