192 



SOILS. 



The soils of the State are of two general classes. 



First. Sedentari/ or Residual Soils. — These are the hoils in place, 

 they have not been removed from the parent rock. Such soils occur 

 throughout the driftless area. They vary much in color, texture struc- 

 ture and natural fertility, according to the nature of the formation of 

 which they have been derived. The poor soils are those derivetl from 

 the shales and the sandstones. Those from the limestones are rather 

 fertile, but will not stand continuous cropping, but soon become depleted. 

 The residual soils are as a rule not very deep and do not withstand 

 drouth very well. 



Another group of soils to be classed as sedentary are In cumulous 

 deposits as peat, muck and swamp, since they result from the gradual 

 accumulation of material "in situ." Tliough differening in both cdinposi- 

 tion and origin from those just described sucli soils are common in the 

 northern part of the State in the Wisconsin drift. 



Peat occurs only in very limited areas outside of the Wisconsin drift 

 boundary. Muck areas occur about the margins of the many lakes and 

 thousands of acres are in the swamp areas of the lake region and the 

 Kankakee basin. 



Second. Transported Soils. — Those which have been transported by 

 tlic power uf water, wind and ice. These are known as collnvial, alluvial 

 and glacial drift soils. The two latter classes are of most importance. 

 .M! of the alluvial soils of the State are fertile both in the glaciated and 

 di'iftless areas. A large part of the river Ixittom soils are low lying and 

 (lillicnlt to drain. These soils vary from the sands and gravel to the 

 slilt'cst clay.s, but in general they are a giKxl clay loam. Corn is the 

 principal crop. 



Tlic drift soils an' composed of a great variety of types, and mostly 

 of good to fair fertility. The black loam of the drift has made Indiana 

 take first place among the States in the production of corn and other 

 staple crops. The glacial drift is for the most part a verj' productive 

 and permanent soil. The drift deposits are varied in the arrangement 

 of clay, gravel and sand, so that what is true in one locality may be en- 

 tirely different in another. But in general it consists of a confused mass 

 of material derived from many sources and is usually rich in all the 

 necessary plant foods. 



