GIFT OF

SEP

or i HE
UNIVERSITY

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,

BUREAU OF SOILS— CIRCULAR No. 65.
MILTON WHITNEY, Chief of Bureau.

SOILS OF THf EASTERN UNITED STATES AND THEIR USE-XXXVIIL

MUCK AND PEAT.

JAY A. BONSTEEL,

Scientist in Soil Survey.

WASHINGTON:

GOVKRNMENT PRINTING OFPIOB.
1912.

BUREAU OF SOILS.

MILTON WHITNEY, Chief of Bureau.
ALBERT G. RICE, Chief Clerk.

SCIENTIFIC STAFF.

FRANK K. CAMERON, in charge of Physical and Chemical Investigations.
CURTIS F. MARBUT, in charge of Soil Survey.
OSWALD SCHREINER, in charge of Fertility Investigations.
2

ADDITIONAL COPIES of this publication
Xi- may be procured from the SUPERINTEND-
ENT OF DOCUMENTS, Government Printing
Office, Washington, D. C., at 5 cents per copy

SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES AND THEIR USE— XXXVIII.

MUCK AND PEAT.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.

Wherever an opportunity is offered for the accumulation of dead
and partly decayed organic matter, deposits of Muck and Peat may be
formed. The circumstances favoring such accumulation are usually
those of humid climate, abundant vegetation, and a swampy condi-
tion resulting in the partial preservation of the successive deposits
of vegetation. Peat and Muck are thus most commonly formed in
swampy, low-lying positions where rank growths of various forms
of vegetation have died and been preserved from complete dis-
organization.

As a result of these necessary processes of formation, accumulations
of both Peat and Muck are far more frequent and more extensive in
northern and cooler regions than in warmer climates. There are some
exceptions to this general rule arising from the existence of excep-
tional conditions within semitropic regions.

Few accumulations of Peat or Muck are encountered within semi-
arid regions, and such as have been formed are chiefly confinsd to
low-lying and poorly drained positions along the flood plains of the
larger rivers.

Areas of distinctive Muck have been encountered in 44 different
localities during the progress of soil survey work. They occur in 18
different States and occupy a total extent of 718,029 acres. Peat
deposits have been mapped in 12 distinct localities, occurring in 8
different States, and covering 141,804 acres.

Whils the greater number of these areas of Peat and Muck, and
usually the most extensive tracts, have been found in the cooler,
humid regions of the Northeastern and North Central States, yet
there are extensive deposits in the lower lying swampy sections of
the Coastal Plains region and even some large deposits within the
flood plains of some of the larger southern rivers.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL AND SUBSOIL.

It is difficult to establish any rigid definition which shall always
discriminate between characteristic Peat and true Muck, even when
the definition is confined exclusively to agricultural uses. This arises

38196"— Cir. 65—12 3

4 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

from the fact that there may be every degree of gradation between
true Muck and true Peat within the limits of the same deposit. This
gradation arises from the character of the processes by which the two
classes of material are formed and preserved.

In general Peat consists of brown or black fibrous or cellular remains
of organic matter formed chiefly in bogs or ponds. Peat is most
frequently formed from accumulations of sphagnum moss, which has
grown in such situations. While the moss may constitute the
greater portion of any peat deposit, there are also included the remains
of other water-loving plants and trees and sometimes the trunks,
branches, and foliage of tamarack, white cedar, and birch. A peaty
soil consists of material of this character more or less mingled with
mineral matter.

Muck may be distinguished from peat by the fact that the organic
remains within the deposit have reached a more advanced state of
disintegration, and frequently the accessory mineral matter is more
apparent. The process of disintegration has usually reduced the
organic matter to a soft pulpy mass of vegetable material which has
lost all resemblance to the fibrous and cellular structure of the original
plant tissues. Muck is also likely to contain a larger proportion of
mineral material. It is a mass of partly preserved vegetable matter
which has passed to a more advanced stage of disintegration than
peat and into which a considerable quantity of mineral matter has
been washed or blown during the process of its formation. Muck is
ordinarily black or dark brown, like peat.

In many areas there naturally occurs a, zone of transition from
true Peat to typical Muck, and it is a matter of careful discrimination
to separate the two classes of material and to establish boundaries
between them.

While the close resemblances betw_een these two classes of material
and their intimate association may in some cases render separation
difficult, there is usually little difficulty encountered in distinguishing
either from other classes of soils. In all cases Peat and Muck are
very dark colored and contain a noticeably higher percentage of
organic matter than the normal upland soil. They are almost univer-
sally saturated with water in their natural condition. It is only
when a deposit of one or the other of these materials becomes thinned
out in contact with areas of upland soil that any difficulty should be
experienced in recognizing either as a distinct class of soil. Few
upland soils contain more than 15 per cent of organic matter, and the
presence of as much as 25 per cent should serve to distinguish the
soil mass as a mucky or peaty soil. For convenience in classification
the average depth of 8 inches has been assumed as a minimum which
would warrant the separation of distinct areas of Muck or Peat from
upland soils highly charged with organic matter.

MUCK AND PEAT. 5

SURFACE FEATURES AND DRAINAGE.

The surface features of both peat and muck deposits are almost
universally those of a level plain. In general the deposits have been
formed within the areas of small lakes or ponds or along the courses
of sluggish streams. Consequently there may be wide differences in
absolute elevation of different deposits, but each separate occurrence
will possess a nearly level and very uniform surface. Those deposits
which border streams to any great extent may possess a slight surface
slope down the course of the stream. The deposits are also thicker
in some portions than in others, and when they become partially
drained, as the result of either natural or artificial causes, irregulari-
ties in shrinkage may give rise to slight differences in elevation.
This is particularly the case with shallow deposits, which may assume
something of the surface configuration of the underlying subsoil when
the Muck or Peat shrinks in drying.

Areas of Muck and Peat occur nearly or quite at sea level in the
Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains and also in the lower courses of some
of the flood plains of the rivers tributary to the Gulf of Mexico.
Other areas are to be found within the small ponds and partially
filled lakes of the glaciated region at altitudes of 1,200 to 1,500 feet
above tide. There could be no general statement as to range of
altitude, since the conditions which give rise to such accumulations
are widespread within all of the cooler and more humid portions of
the country.

It is a characteristic of all such deposits, however, that they are
found in depressed areas, where the natural drainage is deficient and
decaying vegetation may become partially preserved through its
submergence in water. Thus Muck and Peat are always naturally
swampy.

LIMITATIONS IN USE.

Lack of adequate drainage in their natural condition limits the
uses to which peat and muck soils may be devoted. It is only after
the installation of drainage systems that either class of material may
be brought under cultivation. Even then there is considerable varia-
tion in the agricultural adaptation and cropping value of different
areas, frequently within the same deposit.

It has been the usual experience that areas of Muck are more easily
reclaimed than areas of Peat. This arises chiefly from the fact that
the more advanced stage of decomposition of the Muck, coupled with
the universal presence of an appreciable amount of mineral matter,
renders it more compact, better fitted to hold the growing crop in an
upright position, and to furnish a regular and adequate supply of
moisture throughout the growing season. The fibrous Peat is usually

6 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

too loose and too light to maintain any high-growing crop in position,
thus corn and even the small grains are liable to fall down and become
lodged.

Moreover, the Peat is sufficiently fibrous to absorb large amounts
of water, which it holds tenaciously within its own cellular structure
at the expense of the growing crop. For these reasons, chiefly, the
reclamation of Muck for agricultural uses has been more successful
than that of Peat.

Differences in the agricultural values of the reclaimed areas also
occur among muck deposits. It has been noticed that those deposits
encountered within swampy areas underlain by limestone rock or
where a large proportion of the accessory mineral matter within the
muck itself has been derived from limestone are the areas which have
given the most profitable returns under agricultural occupation. It
may be that the limestone is necessary to counteract the effect of the
organic acids formed through the decay of the large amounts of organic
matter, or it may be that the organic matter itself exists in different
forms, better suited to agricultural purposes, when an excess of
lime is present. At any rate the beds of Muck which occur in
limestone regions or which overlie deposits of calcareous marl are
those which have been most successfully used for the production of
many of the general farm crops and for the growing of the majority
of special crops.

Another general rule, which has some exceptions, is that the areas
of Muck which are underlain at a depth of 2 feet or more by a subsoil
of clay or heavy loam are more durable under tillage than those which
are underlain by deposits of loose sandy loam or sand.

Peat when reclaimed is chiefly valuable for the growing of special
vegetable crops, while muck possesses as great a value for these pur-
poses and at the same time may be used for the growing of many of
the general farm crops in regular rotation, notably corn, potatoes,
and timothy hay.

Frequently the desirability of reclaiming a given area of Peat or
Muck will depend almost exclusively upon the accessibility of markets
for the special and highly valuable crops which are grown to best
advantage upon these soils. A very valuable area of Muck, so far as
the volume of its production is concerned, might be so located as to
possess no available market for its products.

All of these considerations must be borne in mind when the recla-
mation of any particular area of either Peat or Muck is under con-
sideration. They are quite as essential as the engineering features
of the reclamation.

MUCK AND PEAT. 7

IMPROVEMENT IN SOIL EFFICIENCY.

In many instances reclaimed areas of Peat or Muck have proved
a disappointment to their owners when cleared, drained, and brought
under cultivation. The dark color of the material and its evident
high content of organic matter have persuaded those familiar with
the indications of fertility among upland soils that the peat or muck
deposits must be extraordinarily fertile because they possess these
characteristics. Yet in many instances it has been found necessary
to make considerable applications of mineral fertilizers and even of
stable manure to such soils before they could be brought to a highly
profitable condition of cultivation. Among the fertilizers which
have been used to the best advantage may be mentioned the various
potash salts and the different combinations of phosphoric acid. It
has been found that both potash and phosphoric acid produce large
increases in yield when applied liberally to these soils. Heavy appli-
cations of coarse stable manure have also proved of great advantage
upon many areas. It may be that the bacterial condition of these
freshly drained organic soils is not favorable to the- growth of certain
crops and that this deficiency is supplied through applications of
stable manure.

For the production of cabbage, onions, beets, and turnips upon
Peat and Muck it is usually advisable to apply considerable quantities
of lime. This may be added in the form of caustic lime, slaked and
spread upon the soil at the rate of about 1 ton per acre, or by applying
2 to 3 tons per acre of ground limestone. Not infrequently larger
applications of these materials have proved very beneficial. It has
even been found profitable to add nitrates to soils of this class for the
production of such crops as celery and lettuce. Where available in
any quantity, wood ashes have been found of considerable value for
the growing of corn and oats upon mucky soils.

LIMITATIONS UPON SPECIAL CROPS.

Peat and Muck are primarily adapted to the production of special
rather than general farm crops. They have been found, experi-
mentally, to constitute particularly favorable soils for the growing of
cabbage, celery, onions, lettuce, turnips, table beets, and peppermint.
Potatoes are also grown to advantage upon many muck areas, but
something of high quality is sacrificed to large yields in the majority
of instances.

Practically all of these special crops depend for their value upon
the accessibility of markets which will absorb a large volume of each
crop and will maintain a reasonably constant demand. As a result,
only small areas of the great aggregate acreage of Peat and Muck
have been reclaimed and brought under cultivation. The initial

8 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

expense of draining and subduing such soils has been the chief
hindrance, but where a good market exists for the sale of the special
crops best suited to production upon these soils, the high acreage
value of these special crops warrants the outlay of large sums for
reclaiming favorably situated deposits. There are many instances
where the cost of draining, clearing, and subduing muck areas has
been repaid within two or three years' time by the sale of high-priced
crops like lettuce, celery, onions, and cabbage. Such lands when
cleared frequently appreciate in value sufficiently to render their de-
velopment one of the most remunerative forms of land improvement.

EXTENT OF OCCUPATION.

Probably not more than 5 per cent of the total area of Muck and
Peat in the eastern part of the United States has yet been drained.
By far the greater part of such deposits supports a growth of tama-
rack, white cedar, birch, and water maple, in the more northern
regions, or gum, cypress, and a thick tangle of undergrowth in the
southern localities.

Even in the case of areas which have been drained and cleared, the
greater part of the acreage is given over to the production of hay or
small grains and only limited tracts have yet been occupied for the
more valuable special crops. It is therefore apparent that the
country possesses a very great reserve of highly valuable soils which
may be reclaimed and devoted to the production of the luxuries and
the necessities of the table whenever the demand for increased pro-
duction shall justify such utilization of this land.

CROP ADAPTATIONS.

When drained, Muck is frequently used for corn growing for a few
years until the roots of trees and other obstructions to intensive
cultivation have been removed. Unless the land is located too far
north or occupies some hollow which is abnormally frosty, the yields
secured are fair to good. Upon the best areas a production of 40 to
50 bushels of corn per acre is not at all unusual. Frequently the
yields are increased by the use of coarse stable manure and in many
instances applications of potash salts and of phosphoric acid in some
form have proved to be highly advantageous. Corn may be grown
for two or three years in succession or a regular rotation of corn,
followed by oats, followed by a stand of mixed timothy and alsike
clover for hay may be adopted.

Oats constitute the best small-grain crop for production upon Muck
in the majority of northern areas. The crop is favored by the moist
soil and the cool climate. Heavy yields of oats, ranging from 50 to
80 bushels per acre, have been grown. The chief difficulty encoun-

MUCK AND PEAT. 9

tered with this crop has been the liability of the grain to make a
heavy growth of straw which becomes lodged with consequent
damage to the grain. This is usually remedied, in part, by the
liberal use of the mineral fertilizers.

Among the grass crops suited to muck-land conditions timothy
hay is the most profitable. Frequently a pure seeding of timothy is
secured which will cut from 1£ tons to 2£ tons per acre. Usually
alsike clover is seeded with the timothy, especially upon farms where
the hay is to be fed to dairy cows or to cattle raised for fattening.
The mixed hay has a somewhat higher feeding value forfneat cattle.
Alsike is better suited to production upon Muck than any other
clover, since it will grow well upon moist to wet soils which have not
yet become fully sweetened by the application of lime. When the
land has been fully subdued and lime has been supplied, the medium
red clover will also make a good growth.

In some of the more northern areas, where corn may not be grown
to advantage except upon the best-drained soils, potatoes constitute
the intertilled crop adopted for muck areas. The yields secured are
usually heavy, ranging from 150 bushels to 350 bushels per acre. It
is sometimes the case that the quality of the tubers is not so good
as of those grown upon drier, upland soils, but the extraordinarily
heavy yields compensate for any slight defect hi quality. Heavy
applications of fertilizer high in sulphate of potash have been found
to give good results when used in connection with potato growing
upon Muck.

Buckwheat has also been used as a small-grain crop on the more
northern occurrences of Peat and Muck. Buckwheat matures in a
shorter growing season than almost any other common farm crop
and it also aids in shading the ground for the repression of noxious
weeds.

Corn, oats, buckwheat, hay, and potatoes constitute the crops
most extensively grown upon reclaimed areas of Muck. They are
the general farm crops best suited to production upon land of this
character.

Muck lands have secured their principal reputation as agricultural
soils through the production of certain exceptionally valuable special
crops.

In the northeastern and north-central States celery is probably
the most important crop for muck-land production. It grows luxuri-
antly and produces heavy crops upon the partially drained soils of
this character. The soft, easily worked Muck is favorable to the
large amount of cultivation and ridging required for the proper grow-
ing and blanching of the celery. This crop, which has established the
reputation of southern Michigan, is chiefly grown upon drained muck
areas. Similarly, extensive areas of Muck have been drained and

10 SOILS OF THE EASTEEN UNITED STATES.

devoted to celery culture in central and eastern New York. An acre
of celery will contain from 18,000 to 20,000 plants and will produce
from 900 to 1 ,000 dozen of bunching plants. Early celery is frequently
produced upon the more eastern muck beds, being set in double
rows, so that a single set of blanching boards may serve for both rows.
This celery is frequently marketed sufficiently early to permit of the
use of the land for spinach or some other succession crop. The value
of a celery crop, of course, varies, but an acreage output ranging from
$200 to $300 is not at all unusual. The cost of growing may be
estimated at $80 to $120 per acre. Land which is especially well
located for the growing of this crop frequently brings an annual
rental of $20 to $30 per acre.

Onions constitute another favorite crop with those who make
intensive use of muck lands. In some of the New York State areas
where onion growing upon muck land is a special industry yields of
400 to 800 bushels per acre are secured, with a general average of 500
bushels. Both the yellow and red varieties are grown, with a smaller
acreage of white onions. The onions are grown from the seed and
special precautions are taken to prevent the blowing away of the soil
and seed before the latter has germinated. Windbreaks of quick-
growing trees are planted and the growers endeavor to keep the sur-
face soil moist until the young plants are well established.

In more southern areas corn, oats, rice, and cotton constitute the
principal crops grown upon drained areas of Muck. In eastern
North Carolina and at other points along the Atlantic coast corn
gives yields of 30 to 65 bushels per acre, oats produce from 30 to 40
bushels, rice yields 35 to 40 bushels, and cotton attains a production
of two thirds to 1^ bales per acre. These yields are considerably hi
excess of those which are normally secured upon adjacent upland
soils. The mineral fertilizers give good results when applied to crops
grown upon these muck areas of the Coastal Plain, and applications of
lime 'produce such marked results that the portion of the fields to
which it has been applied may be distinguished to the single row.

Muck soils produce practically all of the peppermint that is
grown in the Eastern States. Michigan leads in the production of this
crop and seems to be able to grow practically all of the mint which
can find a market in the form of peppermint oil at the present time.

The mint is usually planted in the spring, though some growers
practice fall planting. The roots for transplanting are secured from
an old field and, after the land has been prepared by plowing and har-
rowing, the roots are scattered in trenches which are opened to a
depth of about 6 inches, with 3 feet between rows. The rootstocks are
dropped in these trenches and covered. It is very essential to keep
the weeds subdued for the first year after planting, since their presence
depreciates the product of the still. Machine cultivation is effective

MUCK AND PEAT. 11

at first, but later the hand weeding of the field is necessary. During
the second year's growth the plants will cover the ground.

The harvesting of the crop begins in the latter part/ of July and is
usually continued until October. The mint is cut with a mowing
machine, cured for several hours, raked into cocks, and hauled to the
distillery. At the still the mint is unloaded into large, tightly
hooped vats, which are covered with lids. Steam is then passed
through the mass of mint, volatilizing the oil, which passes into a
worm and is condensed. The mixed oil and water are collected and
separated. A product of 40 pounds of oil per acre is considered a
good yield and $2.50 per pound is a fair average price for the oil.

Peppermint is usually allowed to occupy the field for a number of
years, although it is possible to plow the fields in the fall and to secure
a new set from the roots the following spring.

Probably the most profitable crop grown upon Muck and Peat
is the cranberry.1 For the establishment of good cranberry bogs
several conditions, aside from the existence of the necessary muck
or peat bed, are required. The topography must be such that the
Muck or Peat, when cleared, may be embanked to retain the water
used in flooding the beds; there must be an easily accessible supply
of clean sand for the top-dressing of the bed ; there must be a depend-
able supply of water, sufficient to flood the beds to a depth of 6
inches or more and to maintain the flooding for long periods of time,
when necessary, together with facilities for drawing off the water so
that it will remain 6 inches or a foot below the surface of the bed.
Such conditions do not occur in connection with every area of Muck or
Peat, and the absence of any one condition renders the establishment
and maintenance of the bog that much more difficult and costly.

Cranberries are produced in the cooler climates and the muck and
peat deposits of the Northeastern and North Central States have been
extensively used for this crop. These deposits frequently occur in
small, rounded depressions, the kettle holes of old glacial moraines,
and not infrequently the adjacent upland deposits consist of sandy
and gravelly materials which supply the top-dressing of sand for the
bog. Moreover, large springs frequently break out at the edge of the
bog, supplying an abundance of water for the flooding of the estab-
lished beds.

Where all of the essential conditions for cranberry culture are pro-
vided in such localities, the establishment of the bog is usually a profit-
able venture.

The first step in the formation of a cranberry bog is the clearing
away of all timber and brush which might interfere with the sanding

1 Reference is made to Farmer's Bulletin 176, Cranberry Culture, to Farmer's Bulletin 178, Insects
Injurious in Cranberry Culture, and to Farmers' Bulletin 221, Fungous Diseases of the Cranberry, for
further information in regard to this crop.

12 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

and cultivation of the Muck or Peat. Frequently the top layer of
soil, to a depth of 5 or 6 inches, is bodily removed so that all weeds,
brush, and roots may be eradicated. The surface of the bed is then
graded to secure an economical and uniform application of water over
the bog, insuring a sufficient covering to protect the young plants.
Embankments are then built to supplement the natural elevated
borders of the bog to retain the irrigation waters. Provision is made
for drawing off the water and frequently some artificial drainage is
installed to assist in this. Large ditches are usually cut around the
edge of the plantation. Sand is then applied to the surface to a depth
of 3 or 4 inches and the bed is ready for the transplanting of the shoots
which will form the new bog.

The yield of berries ranges from 25 to 125 bushels per acre. The
general average may be stated as close to 75 bushels per acre upon
well-established bogs. The fruit is marketed in barrels and brings
from $4 to $10 per barrel under prevailing market conditions.

Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Michigan,
and Wisconsin are the leading producers of this fruit.

Peat is less generally used for agriculture, and in all cases where
it has been profitably reclaimed it has been the black, well-rotted
deposits which have become fitted for the production of farm crops
rather than the brown fibrous material chiefly formed from sphagnum
moss.

The agricultural uses of the purer deposits of peatr are indirect.
Thus, considerable amounts of dried peat have been used as a filler
for fertilizers. In some localities peat has been cut, stacked, and
dried to be used as an absorbent in stables, its high absorptive capacity
making it particularly valuable for this purpose. Dried and pulver-
ized or broken peat will absorb a larger amount of liquid manure than
either straw or sawdust. It is also readily decomposed when applied
to the soil or built into a compost heap. It is, therefore, one of the
best stable absorbents that can be used.

FARM EQUIPMENT.

Since the majority of tilled areas of Peat and Muck consist of small
tracts upon individual farms, which are worked incidentally to the
other operations of the farm, the equipment of such soils is not
distinctive.

Where larger areas of Muck and Peat have been reclaimed for the
growing of special crops the equipment is sometimes unusual. In
many instances the farm dwellings are built upon adjacent uplands.
Similarly, the barns and stables are erected upon firmer soils. Thus
there is liable to be a lack of permanent building equipment upon the
larger areas of muck land.

MUCK AND PEAT. 13

Mention has been made of the planting of protecting hedges which
are used to break the force of spring winds and to prevent the bodily
removal of the surface soils and even the seed. The North Carolina
poplar is frequently used for such purposes, since it makes a rapid
growth. When the trees become fully grown, there is need for the
interplanting of lower-growing forms in order to thicken the hedge,
thus forming a complete windbreak.

Sometimes special devices are used to prevent the horses from
sinking into the soft surface soil of the Muck or Peat. A bog shoe
of boards fitted with clamps, so that it may be temporarily attached
to the regular horseshoe, is generally employed for this purpose. The
bearing area of each foot is increased until there is little danger that
the work horses will become "bogged down" in the soft soil.

Frequently cold frames or small greenhouses are established near
the muck beds for the forcing of the plants required for transplanting
upon the Muck or Peat. This usage is more common where extra-
early truck crops are produced than where onions or the later field
crops are grown. A later use of the cold frames is sometimes made

for growing special crops under glass.

\

SUMMARY.

Deposits of Muck and Peat are of wide extent in all of the cooler,
more humid sections of the United States, and occur in some of the
more southern States where exceptional conditions of moisture and
abundant low-growing vegetation prevail.

Peat consists of nearly pure, partially decayed remains of vegetable
tissue. Muck is formed by the mingling of such material with an
appreciable amount of extraneous mineral matter. It is also more
completely disintegrated than peat in the majority of areas occupied
for agricultural uses.

Nearly 1,000,000 acres of Peat and Muck have been encountered
in the progress of soil surveys, and it is probable that deposits of
this character will ultimately be found to cover an area in excess of
15,000,000 acres in the eastern United States.

Owing to the method of formation of these deposits, they are
almost universally poorly drained under natural conditions, and the
installation of proper drainage is the first step in their utilization for
crop production. Each area constitutes a separate drainage problem.

While the Peat and Muck are primarily special-purpose soils, con-
siderable areas which have been reclaimed are used for .the growing of
general farm crops, such as corn, potatoes, oats, buckwheat, and
timothy hay. These uses are common in the more northern localities.

The greatest values derived from the cultivation of Muck and Peat
have arisen from their use as special-crop soils. Cabbage, onions,

14 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES.

celery, lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets, turnips, and peppermint are
among the most valuable crops which are grown upon the intensively
farmed areas of Peat and Muck. The acreage values of these crops
so far surpass those of the general farm crops that the reclamation
of any large areas of Peat or Muck should be undertaken with the
special object of their production.

For the profitable sale of these special crops it is desirable that such
areas of Peat and Muck as are easily accessible to large city markets
or to rapid transportation should first be reclaimed.

Large applications of certain mineral fertilizers upon the Peat
and Muck have been found decidedly beneficial. The use of the
potash-bearing and phosphatic fertilizers has been experimentally
proven to give excellent returns through increased crop production.
Even coarse stable manure has been used to advantage. The appli-
cation of lime to these soils has given marked increases in yield of
many of the special crops.

Only a small proportion of the total area of Peat and Muck has
been reclaimed for any agricultural use, and the remaining areas
constitute one of the most valuable portions of the land reserve which
may still be brought under cultivation.

Approved.

JAMES WILSON,

Secretary of Agriculture.

WASHINGTON, D. C., March 26, 1912.

APPENDIX.

The following table shows the extent of the Muck and Peat in the areas surveyed
to this time. In the first column is stated the particular soil survey in which the area
was encountered, in the second column its extent in acres, and in the third column
the volume of the Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils in which the report upon the
area may be found. Those desiring a detailed description of the soils and of the
general conditions which surround them in any particular area may consult these
volumes in almost any public library.

Areas of Muck and Peat encountered in the soil survey.

MUCK.

Surveys.

Area of
soil.

Date.'

Surveys.

Area of
soil.

Date.'

Alabama:
Baldwin County

Acres.
20,672

128
640
2,167

11,392
1,152
256
24, 768
1,664

12,096
320
21,056

55,296
35,136

49,280
17,408
25,728
20,480
9,088
20,416
7,936
46,784
7,744

1910
1904
1910
1903

1908
1903
1907
1904
1905

1903
1905
1903

1908
1909

1901
1904
1906
1904
1904
1905
1903
1904
1908

Minnesota:
Carlton area

Acres.
17,408

6,404

512
128
5,120
3,840
18,944
1,920
4,608
16,960
3,712

24, 128
128
6,230

6,592
768
384

10.368
128,640
21,760
47.808

1905
1909

1904
1905
1908
1902
1906
1908
1906
1903
1909

1909
1909
1900

1902
1905
1904

1902
1905
1906
1904

Florida:
Gainesville area

Mississippi:
Scranton area

Georgia:
Bulloch County. ...

New York-
Auburn area .

Illinois:
Winnebago County.

Binghamton area.

Livingston County

Indiana:
Allen County

Lyons area

Madison County

Montgomery County

Marion County

Niagara County. .

Marshall County

Syracuse area

Tippecanoe County

Washington County
North Carolina:
Lake Mattamuskeet area 2.
Pitt County

Iowa:
Cerro Gordo County
Kentucky:
Madison County.

Raleigh to Newbern area. .
North Dakota:
Grand Forks area .

Louisiana:
New Orleans area

Maine:
Caribou area

Ohio:
Cleveland area .

Ororio area

Vermont:
Vergennes area

Michigan:
Allegan County

Wisconsin:
Janes villc area

Alma area

Cass County

Portage County. ......

Munising area

Owosso area

Superior area

Oxford area

Pontiac area

Saginaw area

Wexford County

PEAT.

Illinois-
Tazewell County ...

Acres.
1.C44

1902

Minnesota:
Blue Earth County

Acres.
7,680

1906

Indiana:

Crookston area

8,256

1906

Allen County

P40

1908

Rice County

16,320

1909

Greene County

2, 024

1906

New York: ,

Newton County ....

10,368

1905

Bipflats area

576

1902

Louisiana:
Tangipahoa Parish

59,200

1905

North Carolina:
Lake Mattamuskeet area .

17,600

1909

Maine:
Orono area. .

12,416

1909

Ohio:
Wooster area

4.480

1904

1 Year of publication, Field Operations.

• Mapped as Hyde mucky loam.

15

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