20 



The Bulletin 



IREDELL SERIES. 



The soils of the Iredell Series are distributed to a more or less extent 

 throughout the Piedmont region. These soils are locally called "black- 

 jack oak," ''bees wax," or "pipe clay" lands, because of the waxy, sticky, 

 and putty-like character of the subsoil material. They are derived 

 through the process of weathering from diorite, hornblende schist, and 

 chloritic rocks. The topography varies from flat to rolling. The 

 impervious character of the subsoil in the flatter areas causes rather 

 poor surface drainage, while the underdrainage of all the types is 

 hindered considerably by this clay which prevents a free downward 

 movement of the rain water. The lighter surface soil areas and more 

 rolling bodies possess fairly good drainage conditions. 



The Iredell series is represented by 5 types; the stony loam, sandy 

 loam, fine sandy loam, loam and clay loam, 



IREDELL SANDY LOAM. 



The surface soil of the Iredell Sandy Loam consists of a gray, brown- 

 ish-gray or dull brown medium to fine sandy loam, having a depth of 

 6 to 10 inches. The subsoil is a yellowish, light brown, or dull brown, 

 sticky, impervious clay, which at about 24 to 30 inches grades into the 

 rotten, greenish, diorite rock. A few small iron pebbles are of frequent 

 occurrence in this soil, and scattered over the surface. This is a large 

 and important type in Caswell County: also areas of it have been 

 mapped in Randolph County. It is best suited to corn, oats, wheat 

 and grasses. In a few localities, upon the more sandy areas, higher and 

 better drained bodies, tobacco can be successfully grown; also sweet 

 potatoes. 



AVERAGE MECHANICAL ANALYSIS. 



Surface soil. 

 Subsoil 



Fine 



pravel, 

 per cent 



3.4 

 .1 



Coarse 



sand, 



per cent 



8.7 

 1.5 



Medium 



Siind, 

 per cent 



7.8 

 1.7 



Fine 



sand, 



per cent 



27.5 

 7.1 



Very fine 



sand, 

 per cent 



15.7 

 9.2 



Silt, 

 per cent 



30.1 

 22.4 



Clay, 

 per cent 



6.9 



58.1 



