16 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



It is probable that larger areas of the sandy soils of the southern 

 bottom lands are used for agricultural purposes than of any of the 

 heavier lands. Such soils are usually more readily cleared; they lie 

 at higher elevations in many cases; they are easily broken and tilled 

 with the light-weight farm equipment which prevails in the section; 

 and they are sufficiently retentive of moisture to bring cotton to a 

 reasonably early maturity with fair yields, while the heavier soils give 

 later crops and lower yields. For these reasons the sandy bottoms 

 are more generally utilized. Cotton, corn, sweet potatoes, melons, 

 okra, sorghum, ribbon cane, Bermuda grass, lespedeza, and even 

 white clover are grown upon these areas of bottom land. The yields 

 secured depend upon the individual efficiency of the tillage rather 

 than upon any marked differences in the inherent soil characteristics. 

 Corn produces from 15 to 45 bushels per acre, cotton yields from one- 

 fourth bale to three-fourths bale per acre, and cane sirup ranges 

 from 200 gallons to 500 gallons per acre. Good crops of hay may be 

 cut, and the meadow pastures furnish excellent grazing through a 

 longer period of the year than any other grazing lands in the Gulf 

 States. 



There remain thousands of acres of such soils awaiting reclamation 

 for agricultural uses, and one of the most valuable southern land re- 

 sources lies within the areas of these fertile, drought-resistant bottom 

 lands. 



The South Central States. No very extensive areas of Meadow have 

 been encountered in the South Central States. This arises from the 

 fact that the relief of this section is sufficient to permit of the cutting 

 of deeply trenched stream channels by all of the larger streams. Some 

 of these are gorgelike and lack arable bottoms. Others are bordered 

 by distinct terraces, occupied by definite series and types of soils 

 that do not fall within the meadow classification. Small stretches 

 of Meadow occur along the Ohio River and its principal tributa- 

 ries from the south. These are made up of mingled sediments from 

 the sandstone, shale, and limestone rocks of the upland and are 

 usually fertile corn and grass soils where naturally or artificially 

 protected from destructive overflow. Yields of corn reach the high 

 average of 40 to 60 bushels per acre, while grass cuts from 1 to 2 tons, 

 and the pasturage is excellent even upon less well-protected areas. 

 The -North Central States. Meadow areas of large extent are lacking 

 over the greater part of the North Central States. The soils of the 

 river margins are frequently distributed as raised terraces marked by 

 definite types and series. There are within the narrow depressions 

 occupied by some of the minor streams local stretches of true Meadow 

 that are usually mucky, poorly drained, and used for pasturage or 

 the cutting of wild-grass hay. Such areas when the stream channels 

 are straightened or when tile drainage is installed approach closely 



