8 9 4 



Journal of Agricultural Research 



Vol. VI. No. 23 



COMPOSITION OR SOIL 



The investigation was conducted either on soil from the Greenville 

 Experiment Farm or on the farm itself, which is situated 2 miles 

 north of Utah Agricultural College. The soil represents a type found 

 in large areas in the Great Salt Lake Basin. It is of a sedimentary 

 nature, being derived from the weathering of the mountain range 

 near by, which consists largely of limestone and quartzite deposited 

 by the streams as they flowed into the now extinct Lake Bonneville. 

 The soil is situated at the foot of the main delta thus formed and consists 

 of fine sand and coarse silt of fairly uniform chemical and physical com- 

 position to a great depth. The chemical and physical analysis of the 

 soil is given in Table I. The chemical analysis was made according to 

 the official methods of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists, 1 

 while the physical analysis was made by means of the Yoder soil 

 elutriator. 



Table I. — Chemical and physical composition of the soil of the Greenville {Utah) Experi- 

 ment Farm 



The soil has been analyzed to a depth of 10 feet and was found to be 

 very similar in both chemical and physical composition to that given in 

 Table I. There were, however, slightly greater quantities of acid-soluble 

 material in the lower foot sections. The humus and nitrogen of the 

 deeper soil was slightly less than in the first foot. The physical compo- 

 sition is practically the same to a depth of 10 feet. The soil is exception- 

 ally rich in phosphorus and potassium, but low in nitrogen and humus. 

 The calcium and magnesium contents are exceptionally high and one 

 may conclude that for this reason the soil is unproductive ; but just the 

 reverse is true, for the soil is very fertile and even with its low nitrogen 

 and humus content produces excellent crops. 



1 Wiley, H. W., ed. Official and provisional methods of analysis, Association of Official Agricultural 

 Chemists. As compiled by the committee on revision of methods. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Chem. Bui. 

 107 (rev.), 272 p., 13 fig. 1908. Reprinted 1912. 



