410 



STATE AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE BULLETINS. 



caused by proximity to the lake, often comes before the ground is frozen^ 

 and root crops may be left in the ground all winter without injury. The 

 porous nature of the soil, the abundance of lime and potash, and the 

 climatic conditions all contribute to the production of potatoes of superior 

 quality. 



No. 19. — Potato Soil, Grand Traverse. 



Selected by C. P. Davis, 



Timber: Beech, Maple, Ash and Rock Elm. 



Sand and silicates 88.G5 



Alumina 2.95 



Oxide of iron 2.60 



Lime 1.37 



Magnesia .41 



Potash .89 



Soda .32 



Sulphuric acid .14 



Phosphoric acid .13 



Organic matter containing ^04 nitro- 

 gen 2.05 



Water .49 



Capillary capacity for water, 40.20. 



No. 20. — Potato Soil, Benzonia, Benzie Co. 

 Selected by C. L. Northrop. 

 Timber: Beech, Maple, Ash, Elm, Cherry, 

 etc. 



Sand and silicates 90.08 



Alumina 2.86 



Oxide of iron 1.50 



Lime .55 



Magnesia .27 



Potash 1.10 



Soda .45 



Sulphuric acid .18 



Phosphoric acid .21 



Organic matter containing .07 nitro- 

 gen 2.45 



Water .35 



Capillary capacity for water, 39.30. 



No. 21. — Potato Soil, Elk Rapids, Antrim Co. 



Selected by Geo. E. Steele. 



Timber: Maple, Basswood, Elm, Beech and some Hemlock. 



Sand and silicates 84.68 



Alumina 4.82 



Oxide of iron 3.20 



Lime .95 



Magnesia .36 



Potash .9& 



Soda .40 



Sulphuric acid .16 



Phosphoric acid .18 



Organic matter containing .08 nitrogen... 3.14 



Water .65 



Capillary capacity for water, 52.10. , 



IV. Jack-Pine Plains. Nos. 22 to 25. 



In the northern central portion of the lower peninsula is a large tract of 

 light sandy lands which have been called jack-pine lands, the barrens, the 

 plains, etc. It is a light, sandy soil, of a brownish color from the presence 

 of oxide of iron, very porous, and little retentive power for water. The 

 principal timber is pmns banksiana (jack-pine), scarlet oak, with scatter- 

 ing trees of Norway pine and white pine. The subsoil seldom has any hard 

 pan, and the water line in the soil is usually from fifteen to thirty feet 

 below the surface of the soil. 



The annual fires which sweep over these plains burn up the yearly 

 accumulation of vegetable matter, and the soil contains very little humus. 

 The small lakes have an abundant deposit of marl of good quality. 



Some experiments have been made to ascertain the possibility of the use 



