THE HOUSTON BLACK CLAY. 9 



of soil-survey reports, varying from one-half to three-fourths of a 

 bale per acre. In many instances they are reported at from one-half 

 to one bale per acre, and there are numerous recorded cases where 

 they have been in excess of one bale. Many of these reports were made 

 before the advent of the cotton-boll weevil, and it is possible that at 

 the present time some reduction in the yield per acre should be 

 made because of the damage caused by this pest. 



The Houston black clay is a soil which retains sufficient moisture 

 to make a good to large growth of plant and matures the cotton at 

 rather a late date during the growing season. Some difficulty has 

 been encountered in combating the boll weevil upon this soil type. 

 However, through the selection of the proper strains and varieties of 

 cotton for growth upon the "black waxy land" this difficulty has 

 been largely overcome, and it is probable that within the next few 

 years the Houston black clay may again be reported as producing an 

 average cotton yield hi excess of one-half bale per acre and possibly 

 approaching the three-fourths bale mark frequently reported in 

 previous years. 



Next to cotton, corn is probably the principal crop grown upon the 

 Houston black clay, although the acreage devoted to this crop is only 

 a small fraction of that devoted to cotton growing each year. How- 

 ever the yields are very satisfactory. In the numerous areas from 

 which reports have been received through the Soil Survey, corn 

 has been reported as yielding from 25 to 40 bushels per acre, with 

 average yields ranging from 40 to 50 bushels frequently reported. 

 Doubtless when proper attention is paid to the preparation of the 

 land and to the subsequent tillage of the crop, the Houston black clay 

 may be depended upon to produce upwards of 40 bushels per acre. 

 This is far above the average yields for the States within which the 

 type occurs. Aside from the smaller areas of bottom land along the 

 principal streams, it is probable that no other southern soil, developed 

 upon a large scale, can equal the Houston black clay as a corn soil. 

 The acreage devoted to corn each year is being steadily increased 



In the northern portion of the region where this type is developed, 

 winter wheat has also been extensively grown in years past. The 

 acreage devoted to this crop shows a decline within the past decade 

 and the crop is no longer an important one upon this soil. Winter 

 oats are also grown to a limited extent, the yields ranging from 30 

 to 40 bushels per acre upon the best lands seeded to this crop. 



Within recent years the adaptation of the Houston black clay to 

 alfalfa growing has come to be appreciated in the more northern 

 regions where the type occurs. This soil possesses several of the 

 characteristics requisite for growing this crop, being highly calcareous 

 hi both surface soil and subsoil, the deeper portion of the latter being 

 frequently underlain by more calcareous marl or chalk formation, 

 and being furthermore a soil of moderate to high fertility. 



