Alfalfa. 223 



loam and the Volusia loam. The first two contain chiefly limestone, 

 sandstone and granitic gravel and stone while the last named contains 

 chiefly shale gravel. These soils are fairly well drained and sufficiently 

 open to favor deep development. The Miami silt loam associated with 

 these types is also a desirable soil for the crop. 



'" In the northeastern quarter of the State, outside of the roughly 

 mountainous part, gravelly and stony soils predominate and with the 

 exception of small areas will produce alfalfa quite satisfactorily. Through 

 the northern half of the State bed rock not infrequently comes near the 

 surface of the soil but alfalfa has been shown to make a good growth 

 even where the soil covering is only a foot or more in depth, as at points 

 in the vicinity of Syracuse. The roots are able to thread their way along 

 the seams of the stratified rocks and secure sustenance. 



" The soils in the river and small stream bottoms of the State, which 

 are for the most part light alluviums, are texturally suited to alfalfa 

 growing, but the drainage must be watched as it not infrequently is de- 

 fective because of the near approach of the water table to the surface. 

 This is the difficulty with much of the ]\Iiami loam which forms the 

 lowest terrace along most of the larger streams. With the exception of 

 very light sand, such as is found chiefly on the eastern end of Long 

 Island, this class of soils is well suited to the crop. The gravels and 

 gravelly loams are mostly good alfalfa soil. The heavier gravelly loam, 

 known as the Aliami gravelly loam, is a most excellent soil for alfalfa 

 in this State and the one on wdiich most success has been attained with this 

 crop on the Cornell University farm. It is found as the second terrace 

 along most of the large streams like the Genesee, Mohawk and Susque- 

 hanna and their tributaries and the bottoms of nearly all of the smaller 

 streams. Then there is another gravelly soil which is very much more 

 coarse and open and the lower section is frequently used as a source of 

 gravel for commercial purposes. It forms an outward fringe of much 

 of the Dunkirk clay and is classed as the Dunkirk gravelly loam. It is 

 too loose and porous for marked success with alfalfa, but the crop can 

 probably be grown with a moderate degree of success in mau}^ places 

 on this soil. 



" The soils on the hills in the southern third of the State are 

 generally compact shaly silt and clay loams, mostly the former, with a 

 dense mottled subsoil. Depressed areas have very insufficient drainage 

 and much of the t}pe would be benefited by the use of tile. Special 

 examples of this type may be seen almost anywhere on the southern 

 boundary of the State, in southern Chautauqua, Steuben, southern Tomp- 

 kins and Delaware counties and in most of the northern counties of 

 Pennsylvania. It is the most extensive uniform body of soil in the State 

 and it reaches furthest north on the highest divides. 



