MEADOW. 15 



low, alluvial lands which are as yet scarcely built above the level of 

 even moderate freshets. Many of the streams are bordered not 

 only by low-level first bottom terraces, but also possess at least one 

 higher bench, subject to overflow at extreme stages of high water. 

 In a few instances a third bench exists which is occasionally sub- 

 merged but is usually considered as a part of the upland. 



Probably 95 per cent of -this rich alluvial soil still remains in a 

 dense growth of forest, and rarely has any effort been made to reclaim 

 these lands by the construction of levees, except along the Mississippi 

 River and its navigable tributaries. As a result, some of the most 

 productive soils of the Gulf States still remain covered by jungle and 

 totally unappropriated for any agricultural uses. 



The soils within the boundaries of these southern meadow areas 

 range from stiff black clays, derived from the black lands of the 

 adjacent upland prairies, through gray silty clays and loams derived 

 from the silty loess of the bluff lands along the eastern boundary of 

 the Mississippi River drainage way, to the sandy loams and sands, 

 reworked from the sandy uplands of a greater part of the Coastal 

 Plains. This wide variation in the texture of the different soils of the 

 meadowlands gives rise to a considerable variation in the uses to 

 which reclaimed areas may be profitably put. Upon the areas of the 

 heavy black clay soils alfalfa may be grown where the land has been 

 protected from overflow and the water table reduced to a level of 3 

 feet below the surface of the land. These soils are usually calcareous, 

 well filled with organic matter, granular and friable when plowed 

 in the right condition as regards moisture. Corn is also well suited 

 to these meadows. With cotton there is a tendency toward long- 

 continued growth of the plant, with consequent late fruiting, which 

 causes only a small proportion of the bolls to mature before the frosts 

 of autumn. This is a decided disadvantage, especially in localities 

 where the cotton boll weevil has made its appearance, since success 

 with this crop is largely dependent upon the planting of early matur- 

 ing varieties. Considerable areas of these heavier meadow soils are 

 occupied by pastures of Bermuda grass and lespedeza. Lands for- 

 merly tilled have sometimes been given over to these forage crops 

 upon the appearance of the boll weevil and now furnish pasturage or 

 hay rather than cotton. 



The gray silty clays or silty loams of the meadow areas are spar- 

 ingly planted to cotton. Usually they are given over to corn in the 

 Gulf States, since they maintain a sufficient supply of moisture to 

 carry the crop through the droughts of midsummer and give larger 

 yields of corn than the upland soils. In many instances the corn 

 yield upon meadow areas is double that, of the adjacent upland soils. 

 Sorghum and ribbon cane are also grown upon these and the more 

 sandy of the meadow soils. 



