THE CECIL CLAY. 11 



suits in increased profits from these crops. The experiments upon 

 which these conclusions were based covered a period of three years 

 and demonstrated also that the limits of the improvement of this soil 

 through better methods of tillage and fertilization had not then been 

 reached, although very satisfactory crops were obtained. 



In the more southern regions the Cecil clay is esteemed as a fair 

 cotton soil. The crop is thought to be better suited to this type than 

 it is to corn. Nevertheless, the yields of cotton, especially in a dry 

 season, are unnecessarily low and might be greatly improved by the 

 proper protection of the type from excessive erosion and by deeper 

 and more thorough preparation of the soil. The limiting con- 

 dition upon the production of cotton seems to be the maintenance of 

 a sufficient quantity of moisture to make a good growth of the cotton 

 plant and a good fruiting of the crop. Yields of one-fifth to one-half 

 bale per acre are secured upon the badly eroded areas with the ordi- 

 nary treatment. Larger yields are secured in a wet year when abun- 

 dant moisture is furnished under natural conditions. The Cecil clay, 

 however, has been so treated by the more progressive farmers, and 

 particularly at certain experiment station farms located upon the 

 type that three- fourths of a bale to 1 bales per acre have been pro- 

 duced on properly tilled and fertilized land. These yields were 

 secured by deep plowing, frequent shalloAv cultivation, the incorpora- 

 tion of organic matter in the soil, and the use of those fertilizers 

 which experience and experimentation have shown to be suited to the 

 cotton crop upon this type. The fertilizers to be recommended 

 usually contain rather a high proportion of nitrogen, the normal 

 quantities of phosphoric acid, and moderate to low amounts of potash. 

 The fertilizers upon the experiment plats where the largest yields 

 were produced were applied at the rate of 400 pounds per acre or 

 more, which is at least double the quantity ordinarily used upon the 

 Cecil clay in the cotton-growing regions. 



The Cecil clay in all locations where ,it occurs is an excellent soil 

 for the production of certain grasses. In the more northern region 

 the seeding is to timothy and medium red clover. AVhere the land is 

 carefully worked and well fertilized, and particularly where lime is 

 applied at the rate of 1 ton or more per acre, the yields of the mixed 

 grasses range from 1| to 2 tons per acre. Where less care is taken the 

 average yield is about 1 ton per acre. In Virginia bluegrass is also 

 grown, principally for pasturage purposes, upon the Cecil clay, and 

 the type makes a good growth of this grass, especially if lime is 

 applied before seeding. In the more southern areas cowpeas consti- 

 tute the most important forage crop produced upon the Cecil clay. 

 The peas are usually sown with the corn crop at the last working and 

 either grazed off or cut for hay after the corn has been secured. The 

 production of cowpeas, both as a catch crop in the corn and sown ex- 



