10 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



SUMMARY. 



The Houston clay is an important Upland cotton soil of the "black 

 prairie" regions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas. 



The surface soil to a variable depth is a brown or black granular 

 clay loam or clay. This is underlain by a lighter brown or yellow 

 plastic clay subsoil to an average depth of about 20 inches, where 

 the gray or whitish chalk or rotten limestone is usually encountered. 

 It occupies level to rolling prairie areas, frequently bordered by 

 steeply sloping and eroded sections along the stream courses. 



The drainage of the type is usually fairly well established, although 

 upon the more level areas the internal drainage of the subsoil may 

 be defective. 



Erosion is one of the principal difficulties experienced in the occu- 

 pation of this land, and slopes in excess of 10 should be covered 

 with grass for pasturage purposes. 



Tile underdrainage should be installed upon the more level areas, 

 especially if alfalfa is to be grown. 



The Houston clay is in no sense a special crop soil, but is con- 

 sidered one of the best Upland cotton soils. It is also fairly well 

 suited to the production of corn and is coming to be especially 

 esteemed for the growing of alfalfa. 



In general the greater portion of the different areas of the Houston 

 clay is occupied for agricultural purposes. The more eroded areas 

 and those remote from lines of transportation are less completely 

 occupied, while in the semiarid portions of southwestern Texas the 

 grazing of the wild grasses constitutes the chief use of the type. 



The proper tillage of the Houston clay requires heavier farm teams 

 and improved machinery. 



Approved. 



JAMES WILSON, 



Secretary of Agriculture. 



WASHINGTON, D. C., October 30, 1911. 



