THE MIAMI CLAY LOAM. 13 



so covered with bowlders as to make cultivation difficult, are usually 

 devoted to permanent pastures. The growth of native and tame 

 grasses is excellent and many pastures have been maintained from 50 

 to 100 years without reseeding or the breaking of the sod. 



Thus of the principal crops suited to the middle temperate region the 

 Miami clay loam takes high rank in the production of corn, wheat, 

 oats, hay, and pasturage grasses. It, therefore, constitutes one of 

 the most important general-farming soil types in the eastern portion 

 of the Central States. 



In addition to the crops above mentioned, which dominate the 

 agricultural practice of the region and the type, rye is also occa- 

 sionally produced in Michigan, giving yields of 15 to 25 bushels 

 per acre. Barley production is confined to southeastern Wiscon- 

 sin and the yields reported vary from 25 to 40 bushels per acre. 

 Beans also constitute an important crop in southern Michigan 

 with yields of 10 to 22 bushels per acre and even the latter yield 

 is sometimes exceeded. In central Indiana tomatoes are occa- 

 sionally produced as a market-garden crop, yielding 200 bushels 

 per acre, and in the same region green peas are raised for the city 

 markets and as a canning crop, giving yields of about 50 bushels 

 per acre. These constitute secondary special crops chiefly of local 

 importance and produced because of local market conditions and 

 demands. 



In central and southern Michigan the Miami clay loam is also fre- 

 quently used for the production of sugar beets. The crop takes the 

 place of corn in the regular rotation and has been produced over an 

 extensive acreage in this general locality. The yields produced vary 

 from 8 to 15 tons per acre, and the beets usually show a high sugar 

 content and high index of purity. The crop is only raised in the 

 vicinity of established sugar-beet factories or in neighboring localities 

 where transportation to the factories is well provided. 



Another special crop produced upon the Miami clay loam is the 

 Spanish Zimmer tobacco in the Miami region of southwestern Ohio. 

 In this region when the tobacco is grown it usually follows the corn 

 crop, and the Miami clay loam is considered the best soil in the area for 

 the production of tobacco. Upon nearly every farm will be found small 

 fields ranging in size from 3 to 8 acres, while the larger growers pro- 

 duce from 10 to 30 acres each year. The tobacco grown upon this 

 soil has good body, good sweating properties, and is fine fibered and 

 elastic. The best filler leaf produced in the region is grown upon the 

 rolling upland areas of the Miami clay loam. 



Among the tree fruits apples and pears are practically the only crops 

 well suited to production upon the Miami clay loam, and even with 

 apples it is necessary to discriminate in the selection of particular areas 

 of the soil for the planting of orchards and also in the selection of 

 varieties suited to such a heavy type of soil. It is only upon the 



