Soils for Timothy in New Yokk 5G1 



or legumes or both, unless it is subject to regular overflow. The 

 use of lime is frequently a factor in the best success on these soils, 

 but is seldom essential to a moderate growth. 



Clay and Clay Loam, Soils 



The third group of timothy soils are the clay and clay loam 

 lands. The fibrous root system of the plant, the difficulty of keep- 

 ing such soil in a short rotation, and the difficulty from heaving, 

 with which is coupled the prevailing tendency to poor drninage, 

 make hay farming, especially timothy farming, desirable on 

 clay soil. When, in addition to their fine texture, these soils are 

 naturally well supplied with lime, they make an excellent basis 

 for the growth of timothy, and on such soil the plants are un- 

 usually long-lived. In southern Niagara County and the adjacent 

 territory, where such soils are extensively developed, excellent 

 timothy meadows six and seven years old have been observed. 



The clay and clay loam soils of the state are developed chiefly 

 around the Great Lakes, up the St. Lawrence, and through the 

 Champlain and Hudson valleys. In these regions extensive lake 

 conditions formerly prevailed in which these clays were deposited 

 in quiet water as very fine sediment. These lakes were of glacial 

 origin and lay along the edge of the ice sheet during its retreat. 

 They were very irregular and much drawn out. They were formed 

 at different levels as the water of the lakes receded with the retreat 

 of the ice. Consequently, they seldom form large continuous 

 areas, and do not occur much above an elevation of one thousand 

 feet, extending from this down to one or two hundred feet. 



In addition to forming a more or less continuous rim around 

 the Great Lakes, they swing well to the south in the larger valleys 

 of western New York, notably those of the Genesee and the Finger 

 Lakes. In the Hudson Valley, they roach in scattered bodies 

 down to Newburg. The more important developments are the 

 following: in Niagara and Erie counties; considerable bodies 

 in central Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, and Cayuga counties; 

 an extensive development around the southern side of Oneida 

 Lake and around the head of Lake Ontario in Jefferson County ; 

 the bench lands along Lake Champlain and the terrace levels 

 through the Hudson Valley from near Fort Edward to Rhinecliff. 



