16 



The Bulletin 



In the following table is given the analyses of Alamance silt loam 

 type of soil and subsoil : 



AVERAGE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. 



AVERAGE MECHANICAL ANALYSIS. 



Fine 



Gravel, 



Per Cent 



Surface soil. 

 Subsoil 



1.9 

 0.6 



Coarse 



Sand, 



Per Cent 



2.9 

 0.9 



Medium 



Sand, 

 Per Cent 



1.4 

 0.4 



Fine 



Sand, 



Per Cent 



4.1 

 0.9 



Very Fine 



Sand, 

 Per Cent 



13.0 

 13.9 



Silt, 

 Per Cent 



63.1 

 33.6 



Clay, 

 Per Cent 



13.7 

 49.1 



ALAMANCE GRAVELLY SILT LOAM. 



This soil is locally the 'Svhite gravel land" and is the second largest 

 type in the county, covering as it does 68,096 acres. The surface soil is 

 whitish to light gray or yellowish-gray silt loam, having a depth of 5 to 

 8 inches. The subsoil is a yellow silty cla}^ loam or brittle clay having 

 a depth of 3 feet or more. Distributed over the surface and mixed with 

 the soil is approximately 15 to 50 per cent of small smooth flat rounded 

 brown and gray shale particles, giving the roads and abandoned fields 

 a brown appearance. Some red or reddish-yellow colorations may be 

 noticed in the subsoil on the ridges and bordering the Georgeville types, 

 while shades of gray and white are seen in the flatter or depressed areas. 

 Adjoining the Iredell loam the subsoil is somewhat variable and a 

 brown tough clay is frequently found. 



The gravelly silt loam is well distributed over the nortliern and 

 eastern parts of the county, occurring in large areas to the north and 

 south of Marshville, south of Olive Branch, in the vicinity of Euto, 

 and around Benton Cross Roads Church. Its surface is gently rolling 

 to rolling, having smoothly rounded slopes and knolls and lying favor- 

 ably for farming operations with improved machinei-y. 



In crop adaption and yields the gravelly silt loam is quite similar 

 to the Alamance silt loam. It is claimed by the farmers that the pres- 

 ence of the rounded and platy particles of slate cause the soil to be 

 easier to till, renders it more retentive of moisture, and is less liable 



