EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 507 



SANDY LOAM ON OLD LAKE BED 



Description. The surface soil to depths of 8 to 12 inches is a black sandy 

 loam containing a* high content of organic matter. The fine sand content 

 is quite high making the type a light phase. 



The subsoil, immediately under the surface, is composed of fine sand, 

 grayish in color, to the depth of about 24 inches where it gradually grades 

 into a heavier phase, containing a high content of silt and clay. The heavy 

 clay subsoil varies from 4 to 8 feet in depth from the surface. 



Drainage. The natural drainage of the delta formations is ideal requiring 

 practically no artificial drains but the natural drainage on the lake bed 

 formation is very poor, the tight subsoil coming near enough to the surface 

 to hold the water. Tile drains are not extensively used because of the poor 

 outlets. A greater part of this land is laid out in lots as suburbs of Detroit 

 and agriculture is not practiced to any great extent. 



Composition. From the standpoint of soil fertility this soil is practically 

 the same as the type in the delta formation, with the exception of a slightly 

 lower phosphorus content. While this is usually classed as a poorer soil 

 than the clelta formation the difference is due principally to the lack of 

 drainage rather than to the composition. Lime is not needed on these soils. 



Fertilization. The management from the fertility standpoint is rather 

 difficult. The phosphorus content must be built up for best results and the 

 organic matter content maintained. By means of manures, which can be 

 obtained from near by cities, and by the hberal use of high phosphate bearing 

 fertilizers this land can be kept in a high state of fertility which is necessary 

 for successful truck gardening. 



li^INE SANDY LOAM 



This type is very small in extent covering only about 3 per cent of the area. 

 Most of the city of Detroit is located on it, and from the standpoint of agri- 

 culture it is relatively unimportant. 



The topography is level to undulating and wide variations of type follow 

 the different topographic changes. The low lands classify as a heavy phase 

 of sandy loam while the ridges vary in texture from blow sand to clay. 



The surface soil to the depth of 8 inches is a black sandy loam quite high in 

 organic matter and containing a high content of fine and very fine sand. 

 From 8 to 36 inches, the subsoil is a yellow fine sand, beneath which the more 

 impervious layer of clay is encountered. 



Drainage on this type for the most part is quite poor. Where there is land 

 available for agricultural purposes it is generally so poorly drained that pasture 

 or hay crops are all that are being grown. Outlets are established but the 

 land is plotted to building lots and little is being done in an agricultural 

 way. 



This soil is only medium in fertility. It is quite well supplied with organic 

 matter, nitrogen and potassium but phosphorus and lime are needed. 

 Analyses show the surface layer to contain as an average 916 pounds of 

 phosphorus and to be acid in reaction. For the city garden complete fertil- 

 izers carrying from 3 to 4 per cent of nitrogen, 8 to 12 per cent of phosphoric 

 acid and 2 to 3 -per cent of potash should be used at the rates of 300 to 1,000 

 pounds per acre. They should be worked into the soil just previous to seed- 

 ing or planting, to a depth of about three inches. 



