216 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 40 



Soil survey of Lowndes County, Ala., L. R. Schoenmann and R. T. A. Bubke 

 (U. S. Dept. Agr., Adv. Sheets Field Oper. Bur. Soils. 1916, pp. 68, fig. 1, map 

 i).— This survey, made in cooperation with the State of Alabama, deals with 

 the soils of an area of 453,120 acres situated in the south-central part of the 

 State and lying within the high part of the Coastal Plain province. The topo- 

 graphy of the county varies from level to hilly and broken, with elevations 

 ranging from 100 to 600 ft. above sea level. Natural drainage is obtained 

 chiefly through the drainage basin of the Alabama River and is generally well 

 established. 



The upland soils of the county are derived from marine or lacustrine deposits, 

 the olilest of these formations influencing the soils of the region being a pale- 

 bluish, soft, argillaceous limestone known as the Selma chalk. The other soils 

 are of sedimentary origin and include unconsolidate! sands, sandy clays, and 

 heavy clays. In addition to rough stony land, 27 soil types of 18 series are 

 mapped. Oktibbeha clay, Sumter day, and Catalpa clay, occupying 23.9. 12.4, 

 and 11.2 per cent of the total area, respectively, are the principal types. 



Soil survey of Clay County, Iowa, E. H. Smifs and T. H. Benton (U. S. 

 Dcpt. Agr., Adv. Sheets Field Oper. Bur. Soils, 1916. pp. 45, fig. 1. map 1). — 

 This survey, made in cooperation with the Iowa Experiment Station, deals with 

 the soils of an area of 300,320 acres in the northwestern part of the State. In 

 general, the surface is that of a broad, undulating glacial-drift plain, while 

 the eastern fourth of the county Is somewhat kuolly or ridgy. Natural drainage 

 is rather slow over most of the area. 



The soils of the region are described as upland, high terrace, and first-bottom 

 soils and are said to be derived from the bowlder clay of the unmodified glacial 

 drift and to be unrelated to the underlying rocks. Exclusive of muck and peat, 

 13 soil types of 8 series are mapped. Carrington loam. Webster silty clay 

 loam, Carrington silt loam, and Lamoure silty clay loam predominate, occupy- 

 ing 31.3, 20.2. 15, and 11.9 per cent of the total area, respectively. 



Pottawattamie County soils, W. EL STEVENSON, P. E. Brown, et al. (Iowa 

 Sta. Soil Survey Bpt. 2 {1918), pp. 5',. pis. 8, figs. t2).— This report contains 

 data secured in a survey of the county made in cooperation with the Bureau 

 of s..iis of the U. S. Department of Agriculture (B. s. Et, 34, p. G16), as well 

 as additional information supplied by the station regarding particularly the 

 composiiii.ii and fertility of the soils as determined by chemical analyses and 

 pot tests of typical soils In the area. 



The analyses show wide variations in the plant food content of the different 

 soil types, not only between the large soil groups, hut also between the types 

 within the groups. The soils generally are well supplied with rotash. They 

 are not so abundantly supplied with phosphorus and nitrogen, the swamp and 

 bottom-land soils being notably low in nitrogen. The greatest immediate need 

 of the soils is for organic matter. It is stated that the loess soils, which are 

 widely distributed in the area, are not necessarily lower or higher in any one 

 constituent than terrace, swamp, and bottom-land, or other soils. Means of 

 supplying the deficiencies and increasing the productiveness of the soils, as 

 indicated by pot experiments, are suggested. 



Muscatine County soils, W. H. Stevenson, P. E. Brown, and H. W. JOHNSON 

 (Ioiva Sta. Soil Survey Rpt. S (1918), pp. 64. pi. 1, figs. 16).— This report, like 

 that noted above, is based on data secured in a survey made in cooperation 

 with the Bureau of Soils (E. S. R., 35, p. 117) and additional data regarding 

 composition and fertility supplied by the station. 



It was observed that phosphorus is not found in any large amount in the 

 soils of the county and may become a limiting factor. Nitrogen is much more 



