26 



The Bulletin 



The Mecklenburg cla^^ loain is considered one of the best soils in 

 the county for the production of corn, wheat, oats, and Johnson grass. 

 On some of the better drained areas alfalfa, clover, soy beans, and cow- 

 peas would give good results. The yields of corn range from 15 to 40 

 bushels; wheat from 12 to 33 bushels; oats from 15 to 40 bushels, and 

 cotton from i/'o bale to 1 pale per acre. Better preparation of the seed- 

 bed, better drainage, and the incorporation of vegetable matter in the 

 soil are important factors towards securing larger yields. 



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

 subsoil of Mecklenburg clay loam : 



CHEMICAL ANALYSIS. 



MECKLENBURG SANDY LOAM 



This is the "red sandy blackjack land" comprising 6,464 acres. The 

 largest areas of this soil are situated in the vicinity of Harrisburg and 

 to the northwest of Patterson's Mill. 



The surface soil is a dark brown to reddish-brown sandy loam of a 

 depth of about 6 to 12 inches. A few small rounded iron pebbles, or 

 concretions appear on its surface and give it a coarse feel and somewhat 

 porous structure. The subsoil is a brownish-yellow or ocherous-yellow 

 sticky heavy clay to a depth of 20 to 36 inches, where it grades into the 

 soft rock. A few mica scales are seen locally, and also quartz fragments 

 appear here and there. 



It has undulating to gently rolling to rolling surface features, and 

 possesses good natural surface drainage. The soil is easier to till and 

 warms up earlier in the spring than the clay loam ; also, cotton matures 

 earlier than on the heavier ''blackjack lands." 



