18 



The Bulletin 



The following table gives the average results of analyses of soil and 

 subsoil of Cecil clay loam : 



CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. 



MECHANICAL ANALYSIS. 



Surface soil. 

 Subsoil 



Fine | Coarse I Medium j Fine 



Gravel, , Sand, i Sand, Sand, 



Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent Per Cent 



1.7 

 .9 



5.2 

 2.1 



6.0 

 2.3 



16.1 

 5.3 



Very Fine 



Sand, 

 Per Cent 



21.3 



8.5 



Silt, 

 Per Cent 



27.0 

 32.2 



Clay, 

 Per Cent 



22,7 

 49.0 



CECIL CLAY 



The Cecil clay, locally known as "heavy red clay land," comprising 

 13,056 acres, consists of a reddish-brown to deep red clay loam or clay, 

 with a depth of 5 or 6 inches. It is underlain by a red stiff heavy clay, 

 being brittle when dray and sticky and plastic when wet. It is dis- 

 tributed in small areas over the greater part of the county, the larger 

 areas being situated between Concord and Poplar Tent Church to the 

 north of Mount Pleasant and in the southern part of the county. The 

 surface is rolling to hilly, and even broken, and the natural drainage is 

 good. 



A considerable part of this soil is forested in white, red, and post oak, 

 some hickory, sweet-gum, dogwood, poplar, and pine. The Cecil clay 

 is recognized as one of the strongest soils in the county for the produc- 

 tion of wheat, oats, corn, clover, and grasses, and is susceptible to high 

 agricultural improvement. Some areas of this soil, especially those as- 

 sociated with Mecklenburg clay loam, are well suited to the growing of 

 alfalfa. Heavy applications of lime and manure and thorough prepara- 

 tion of the soil and inoculation of it are essential in securing a good 

 stand. Large yields of wheat, oats, corn, and clover are obtained, while 

 cotton does fairly well. The turning under of clover, cowpeas, or ma- 

 nure add humus and improve the structure of the soil, together with 

 deeper plowing, and better preparation of the seed-bed and the addition 

 of lime are suggested for increasing the yields upon the Cecil clay. This 

 land I'equircs strong teams and heavy equipment for the highest effi- 

 ciency of crop production. 



