' J S* I ' 

 THE CARRINGTON LOAM. 11 



lands which have been well cared for. There is something of a 

 tendency in the production of oats toward an excessive growth of 

 straw at the expense of grain, which involves danger through the 

 lodging of the crop in the case of severe storms just before the time 

 of harvesting. With this exception the Carrington loam may be 

 ranked high as a soil for the growing of oats. In the more northern 

 and northwestern regions only a small acreage is devoted to oat pro- 

 duction, while barley enters as a small grain crop, both in Minnesota 

 and in North Dakota. The yields of barley are excellent, ranging 

 from 20 to 25 bushels per acre. 



A considerable acreage of the Carrington loam is annually devoted 

 to the growing of grass for hay in all of the older settled areas where 

 it occurs. The grass is seeded in regular rotation with the grain 

 crops and excellent yields are secured. In Indiana the hay cut 

 ranges from 1 to 1 tons per acre. In Iowa the unusually high aver- 

 age of If tons is secured in counties whose area is dominated by the 

 Carrington loam, while individual fields under favorable circum- 

 stances produce 2 tons or more per acre. In all of these areas a mixed 

 seeding to timothy and clover prevails, but in addition a considerable 

 acreage of pure clover seeding is grown each year. In this case the 

 first crop is cut for hay, while the second crop is used for the pro- 

 duction of seed. 



In very few instances has alfalfa been tried upon this soil type, 

 although in Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota varieties of alfalfa, 

 competent to withstand the severe winter climate, have been shown 

 to be suited to growth upon it. In these latter locations the type 

 shows a considerable percentage of calcium carbonate in the sub- 

 soil. Wherever surface and subsoil drainage are complete, and where 

 inoculation has been secured, alfalfa has given good yields upon 

 the Carrington loam. It is particularly well suited as a hay crop 

 to the more western locations, where the rainfall is sometimes not 

 sufficient to give large yields of the mixed timothy and clover com- 

 monly seeded. 



In addition to the tame grasses thus grown, a large acreage of wild 

 prairie grass is cut annually in the North Dakota areas where the 

 Carrington loam occurs. The average yields reported range from 1 

 ton to 1% tons per acre, with an average of 1| tons over considerable 

 periods of time. Prairie grass is also grazed both for beef produc- 

 tion and for dairy purposes. 



Flax is grown in both Minnesota and North Dakota for the seed, 

 and average yields of 10 to 12 bushels per acre are secured. The 

 crop is a favorite one in pioneer sections where the prairie sod cover- 

 ing the Carrington loam is first broken. The first yields for one, 

 two, or even three years are high, but then rapidly deteriorate 

 until the crop is abandoned. It has been found, however, that with 



