THE WABASH SILT LOAM. 11 



Grasses thrive remarkably well upon the moist low-lying Wabash 

 silt. loam. Timothy and redtop in particular make large growth 

 and heavy yields. The seeding is maintained for long periods of 

 time without renewal, making excellent mowing land and pasturage 

 when its use for such purposes is desired. Almost pure timothy hay 

 cut on certain areas where the Wabash silt loam has been mapped 

 ran over 2 tons per acre of first-quality hay. In other instances 

 where less care has been taken with the seeding, yields ranging from 

 1 to 1| tons are common. Clover, particularly the medium red and 

 mammoth varieties, is not so well suited to growth upon the Wabash 

 silt loam, especially in those areas where the permanent water table 

 lies at a depth of less than 2 feet. The taproot growth of the plant 

 rapidly carries the main root down to the zone of saturation and the 

 clover turns yellow and dies out. Wherever drainage is properly 

 established, either naturally or artificially, the yields of red clover 

 are heavy and frequently a second crop may be cut, from which seed 

 can be saved. This is particularly true in the more northern areas. 

 The white clover seeds naturally in all of the old mowing areas 

 and in the pastures and glades through the forested portion of the 

 type. Alsike clover is also successfully seeded upon land which is too 

 wet for the production of red clover under normal conditions. Thus 

 the Wabash silt loam is admirably adapted to the production of hay 

 for local use or for pasturage purposes. 



In certain of the western areas where the Wabash silt loam is not 

 subject to frequent overflow and where the water table exists at a 

 depth greater than 3 feet, alfalfa has come to be recognized as a 

 very successful crop. The same limitation to its production exists 

 as in the case of red clover, through the fact that it also is a tap- 

 rooted plant, sending its main root to considerable depth below the 

 surface. Frequently when the taproot encounters the zone of perma- 

 nent saturation the stand of alfalfa is impaired, and the field must 

 be plowed or otherwise prepared and reseeded. The yields are heavy, 

 ranging from 3 to 5 tons per acre, depending somewhat in amount 

 upon the length of growing season and the number of cuttings which 

 may be made. A considerable part of the utilized portion of the 

 Wabash silt loam in the western bottom lands is devoted to the 

 growing of alfalfa. 



Locally, Irish potatoes are grown in some areas for home use, or 

 in the vicinity of some of the larger cities as a commercial crop. 

 Aside from a tendency toward fungous diseases, due to the moist low- 

 lying position of the soil, the Wabash silt loam is well suited for the 

 production of maximum yields of potatoes. It might well be occupied 

 much more extensively for the production of this crop where the land 

 is protected from overflow and adequately drained. 



