THE MEMPHIS SILT LOAM. 11 



merit, and is a fairly successful crop. In the more southern extension 

 cotton is practically the dominant crop, and it has only been within 

 recent years that any diversification of agriculture has occurred, aside 

 from the growing of a limited area of corn for the feeding of work 

 stock upon the cotton farms. From Baton Rouge northward, how- 

 ever, the Memphis silt loam is well suited to the production of certain 

 classes of market-garden and truck crops, particularly of cabbage, 

 turnips, lettuce, radishes, asparagus, tomatoes, English peas, and 

 snap beans. It is not well suited to the production of the earliest 

 truck crops even in these locations, since they are forced to an earlier 

 maturity upon more sandy lands, and the crops grown upon the 

 Memphis silt loam are at a slight disadvantage when competing in 

 the early northern markets. 



However, the yields secured upon the Memphis silt loam are fre- 

 quently superior to those obtained from the more sandy lands, a fact 

 which compensates to a considerable degree for the slightly later 

 date of maturity accompanied by somewhat lessened prices. It is 

 only within those portions of the type which are located near to 

 through lines of transportation that the production of the market- 

 garden or trucking crops is advisable, since their value is largely de- 

 termined by the possibility of rapid transportation to city markets. 

 Consequently only a small proportion of the total area of the Mem- 

 phis silt loam, and that located favorably with regard to shipment, 

 can be recommended for development for market gardening and 

 trucking purposes. 



The soil itself through its inherent characteristics is particularly 

 well suited to the production of the later market-garden crops, and 

 of all such crops as may be used for the purposes of canning. It is 

 especially well adapted to the growing of tomatoes, peas, and beans, 

 both for shipment and for canning purposes. Such use of the Mem- 

 phis silt loam should be confined to the well-drained and little-eroded 

 portions of the type. 



EXTENT OF OCCUPATION. 



The more southern portions of the Memphis silt loam were occu- 

 pied to a limited degree for agricultural purposes by the civilized 

 tribes of Indians before white occupation had gained any extensive 

 foothold in the States where it is found. Since 1825 practically all 

 of the more level areas of the Memphis silt loam, wherever it occurs, 

 have been gradually cleared and occupied for crop production. The 

 chief limitation upon the agricultural development of this soil has 

 been that imposed by erosion. As a result, throughout a considerable 

 proportion of its extent, not over 25 to 35 per cent of the total area 

 of the type may be occupied, and in some localities, particularly near 

 the bluffs, not over 5 to 10 per cent is sufficiently level to permit of 



