Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-04-29
MI-sK OR SWAMP LANDS.


There are very considerable areas OF
land in Georgia which can only be made
profitable for agricultural purposes
when tile drained. AZ may be necessary
10 add some forms of commercial plant
food as well, as low-lying soils are fire.
uueatly deficient in mineral elements.
A great number of Inquiries have been
received at the college recently con-
crning the utility Of muck soils for fer
tf.axlng purposes. ana also as TO the
characteristics commonly met with in
swamp lands. or course. analysis or the
Varso soils mentioned are available.
II is hoped, however. THAI the general
suggestions made wall be Of service at
this time, and IL is .eaIeved that the oo-
servance OF the same snoulu render these
soils more profitable under cultivation.
The first thing. as already mentioned.
is 1he necessity OF draining. Many OF
these soils are water-loggeo. that is, the
water in the soil rises so near TO the
surface OF the groun4 as 10 prevent the
free circulation OF air and the proper
development OF the roots of plants
Plants can not grow satisfactorily-ina
water-logged soil. they are quite /as
sensitive TO wet feet" as the human be-
ing Various methods of cultivating these
lands may be resOrted TO. such as plOw-
ing into narrow ridges or planting crops
grown thereon on hign Deds- But these
are only temporary expedients and viii
never be uniformly satisfactory. The
best policy is to underdraIn. If this is
properly done, IL will rast for years and
years and the soil will improve in quanti-
" and maintain its fertility in a surpris-
ing manner. The writer knows OF one
area Of land drained in the northern
part Of the state along creek bottom
wnIch overflowed regularly from time
immemorial, and was covered Hith
briars shrubs and aquatic plar.s. II
now produces so bushels of corn per
acre, and is a beautiful piece OF farm
land The cost OF draining has been cas-
lily offset by the excellent crops il nov
produces Since history repeats itself
AZ Is to be hoped that the example of
this farmer will be emulated by all who
have rich bottoms IN a similar condi-
ton
Since musk. swamp. and low-ly.ng
soils consist Of jecayed OF decaying veg
stable matter. they are likely TO be very
deficient in the mineral efemenrs-pnos-
porto acid and potash. now realized to
be most essential in crop production To
overcome this defect these materials
must be supplied In commercial form.
and they must be used in more liberal
amounts than is ordinarily practice1
OF course. the quantity to use will be
dependent largely on the percentage of
vegetable matter in the soil. the richer
IL 10 in decaying organic matter. the
larger the amount OF phosphoric acid
and potash which should be applied. On
some Of these lands at last 1000 pounds
OF high-grade acid phosphate and not
less than a ton or more Of floats should
be used at a single application. with goo
pounds OF muriete o. potash or 500 to
~ pounds OF kainit.
Muck soils are more likely to be def
Gent in mineral elements than any of the
low-lying soils met with. This type OF
soil Is frequently found in pockets. as IL
we're. and IL the result of the filling up of
come lake or bayou through the growth
OF aquatic plants. This process is go
Ing on in some parts of Georgia at the
present time on a more or less extensive
scale. The so-caIled floating islands or
Mexican lakes are due to the growth OF
eouatic plants Some Of these develop
Below and die above until the mass be-
comes almost as solid as land. and ow-
Ing TO its bouyancy it is sometimes de-
tsched BY the wind and floats about for
longer or shorter periods Of time. As
this process continues the lake gradually
flls up. and after a while a pocket or
much soil alone remainsto show its loca-
ton.
The nitrogen I'm muck soils Is frequently
use as fertilizer will often not prove as
desirable as many farmers seem to think.
and when II Is used. good results can only
Re anticipated by liberal applications of
phosphates and potash. The nitrifying
germs are likely TO be absent from low
vet soils These germs act on the organic
matter and other inert heterogeneous ma
tsriais and convert them into nitrates
This Is the only form in which nitrogen