32 



The Bulletin 



that cotton is especially subject to "rust" when grown immediately after 

 cowpeas have occupied the land. The same brands and mixtures of 

 fertilizers are used on this soil as on the other soils of the county. Corn 

 needs a somewhat larger amount of nitrogen. Cotton requires a rela- 

 tively heavy application of kainit to correct the rust. A top dressing 

 with nitrate of soda applied to corn in the middle of July will give in- 

 creased yields. The Iredell loam needs manure and lime. Of the former 

 the supply is wholly inadequate, but the latter can be purchased cheaply, 

 and if used alone or in combination with fertilizers will be found profit- 

 able. 



Areas of this soil south of Shopton and around Potts' Store sell at 

 $30 to $50 an acre, while some in other sections can be bought for $25 

 an acre. 



AVERAGE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF IREDELL LOAM. 



MECKLENBURG CLAY LOAM 



This soil is locally known as "red blackjack land" and covers 14,016 

 acres of the county. The surface soil consists of 4 to 8 inches of brown 

 to reddish or red heavy loam or clay loam. It is underlain by a yellow- 

 ish-brown or ochre to red-colored clay of a plastic, sticky nature. How- 

 ever, usually at 24 to 30 inches it grades into a soft, greasy, partially 

 decomposed greenish-yellow rock. A few small iron concretions are of 

 local occurrence. Included in this type are ridges and knolls of a dark 

 red clay loam underlain by a deep red clay of a smooth structure. 



The Mecklenburg clay loam is confined to the southern and south- 

 western parts of the county near the headwaters of Weal and Stowe 

 branches and around Potts' Store. Level to gently rolling surface 

 features are characteristic of the type. Surface drainage is good except 

 in a few of the flatter areas, and here open ditches will serve every pur- 

 pose. The close, impervious character of the subsoil prevents a free 

 movement of water downward and most of the rainfall runs off, thus 

 eroding the steeper slopes. 



This soil is due to the weathering of the underlying rocks, such as 

 mica-diorito and gabbro-diorite, which contain large amounts of magne- 



