6 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



LIMITATIONS IX USE. 



It is probable that the chief restriction upon the agricultural uses 

 of the Fargo clay loam are the limitations of climatic environment 

 and of natural drainage conditions. Otherwise the type is well suited 

 to the growing of the majority of the general farm crops, whose 

 production is favored by the retentive clay loam texture of the sur- 

 face soil and by the presence of adequate amounts of organic matter. 



The greater proportion of the Fargo clay loam is developed in 

 northern areas within which the short growing period of the summer 

 months is inadequate for the production of Indian corn, especially 

 of those varieties which are common to the more southern prairie 

 States. The climatic conditions, coupled with the level character of 

 its surface and the somewhat poorly established natural drainage, 

 also prevent the growing of the winter grain crops, like rye and 

 winter wheat. On the other hand, the summer-grown small-grain 

 crops are produced to unusual advantage upon this type of soil, and 

 it is also an excellent soil for the production of many of the tame 

 grasses. 



Because of the fine texture of both the surface soil and subsoil and 

 of the level character of the land, practically no tree fruits find a 

 favorable environment upon the Fargo clay loam. 



Thus the type is practically limited through its climatic surround- 

 ings, its drainage characteristics, and its textural peculiarities to the 

 production of the summer-grown small grains and to the growing of 

 grasses. Aside from these, flax constitutes one of the most important 

 crops. 



IMPROVEMENT IX SOIL EFFICIENCY. 



It is probable that no one thing would have so marked an effect in 

 increasing the yields of the crops now grown upon the Fargo clay 

 loam as the installation of proper systems of drainage. The lit- 

 rainfall during the early spring months not infrequently covers the 

 more level portions of the type with a shallow sheet of standing water, 

 which finds egress neither through natural surface drainage channels 

 nor by means of percolation downward through the soil and subsoil. 



This prevents the growing of any winter grain crops and interferes 

 with the production of grasses, since both would be smothered by the 

 presence of the standing water. It also necessitates the fall and 

 winter plowing of a considerable proportion of the area of the 

 Fargo clay loam, since the poorly drained areas remain covered by 

 water sufficiently late to prevent spring plowing in time for seed inc. 



In some instances drainage districts have been formed, both in 

 Xorth Dakota and in Minnesota, and large main drainage ditches have 

 been dug, some of them many miles in length, in order to carry off 

 this surplus water. In a few instances, also, tile drainage systems 



