Soils fok Timothy in New York 5f)8 



good results may be secured. Two factors come in prominently 

 to influence the results. These are the lime supply in the soil and 

 and the rainfall of the region. 



The better soils of this group belong to the Ontario, Honeoye, 

 and Mohawk series, which are above the avei-age in their supply 

 of lime, especially in the subsoil. These soils are of glacial 

 origin and are related to the limestone exposures of the state. 

 They lie on and to the southward of the limestone outcrops, hav- 

 ing been scraped along by the ice in its southward course. Con- 

 sequently they are found with a more or less hilly surface on the 

 higher lands, facing the Great Lakes and the Mohawk River and 

 in a similar position through the St. Lawrence Valley. There is 

 also a small body of similar soil in northeni New York fringing 

 Lake Champlain. 



The soil is some grade of loam with a heavier and more com- 

 pact subsoil, both rathei' stony. Drainage is uneven and often 

 could be improved by tile, to the marked protit of the owner. The 

 supply of organic uiatter is moderate and the success of legumes 

 on these soils makes it generally desirable to couple those plants 

 with timothy because of both the larger growth and the better 

 niti'ogen supply. Timothy is not long-lived on these soils, generally 

 thinning out after three or four years from seeding. 



RELATION OF RAINFALL TO SOIL AND TIMOTHY PRODUCTION 



Rainfall is largest in that district centering on Utica and 

 reaching out over a radius of forty to' fifty miles. Both annual 

 and summer rainfall are large in this region and favor forage 

 development on soils lighter than are typically suited tO' the crop. 



The general effect of increased rainfall and moisture supply is to 

 make crops that are best suited to heavy soils succeed on relatively 

 lighter soils because of the changes in soil climate that are induced. 

 To a degree, soil and climate variations may compensate each 

 other. 



OTHER SOILS 



Outside of the primary groups of soil best suited to the pro- 

 duction of timothy and occupying perhaps half of the cultivated 

 area of the state, there are extensive areas of soil where timothy 



