34 



The Bulletin 



6 to 10 inches, and usually contains a few fragments of gneiss and 

 quartz. This type includes spots of Cecil, fine, sandy loam. The sub- 

 soil is a yellow, sandy clay, more or less streaked and mottled with red. 

 On slopes it grades into a disintegrated rock at about 20 to 40 inches, 

 and in places the decayed rock joins the surface material on the slopes. 

 The more unifonn areas produce an excellent quality of bright yellow 

 tobacco. Corn, wheat, and oats give low yields, but these can be in- 

 creased by filling the soil with organic matter and barnyard manure. 

 The roughest areas should remain forested, or be reforested or seeded 

 as pasturage purposes. 



ALTAVISTA SERIES. 



The soils of this series are developed as well defined to rather indis- 

 tinct terraces or second and third bottoms along the streams, and lie 

 above normal overflow. These soils are encountered in the Piedmont 

 Region, or in the near-by Coastal Plain Region along the streams aris- 

 ing^ in the Piedmont. Typically, the material is of an alluvial origin, 

 and consists of sediment brought down and deposited when the 

 streams flowed at higher levels than at present. In places near the 

 slopes some colluvial material has washed down, and modified the 

 alluvial sediments. In places the subsoil appears to be at least partly 

 residual in origin. The natural surface drainage over the greater part 

 of this type is good, and only the lower lying and flatter areas require 

 much artificial ditching. These soils are considered fairly productive, 

 and are amenable to the use of improved machinery. Corn, oats, cotton 

 and cowpeas are the principal crops grown. 



The AltaVista Series consists of the following types : loam, fine sandy 

 loam, sandy loam, and silty loam. Only small areas have or will be 

 encountered in the State. 



ALTAVISTA FINE SANDY LOAM. 



The AltaVista fine sandy loam consists of a light, gray, fine sandy 

 loam, having a depth of about 6 to 10 inches. The subsoil, to a depth 

 of 3 feet or "more is a stifle, compact, heavy, fine sandy clay or clay loam, 

 varying in color from pale yellow to yellow, slightly mottled with shades 

 of gray and brown. In the forested areas the surface few inches is 

 darkened by organic matter, giving a dark gray color. Most of the type 

 is under cultivation, and is used for the production of corn, cotton, oats, 

 and cowpeas, 



AVERAGE MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF ALTAVISTA FINE SANDY LOAM. 



Fine 



gravel, 

 per cent 



Surface soil- 

 Subsoil 



Coarse 



sand, 



per cent 



Medium 



sand, 

 per cent 



2.0 

 1.1 



Fine 



sand, 



per cent 



31.8 

 21.6 



Very fine 5;,^ 



^^''^\ 1 percent 

 per cent i ^ 



Clay, 

 per cent 



34.6 

 19.0 



24.4 

 33.0 



6.4 

 25.0 



