66 



valued for cultivation. The lands being hilly are easily and naturally 

 drained into the creeks. The field from whence the sample was taken 

 has been cultivated in corn, cotton, and oats, with light yields. In 

 good seasons not more than 10 to 15 bushels of corn and 100 to 1_.~> 

 pounds of lint cotton per acre have been produced. The soil is only a 

 few inches deep, and the subsoil consists of sand, gravel, and clay." 



2581 and 2582. Soils from the plantation of William Harris, on Bayou 

 Robert, near Alexandria, La. : 



These soils are of the same formation as those taken from Mr. Seip's 

 plantation, and possess similar characteristics, being "alluvial bottom 

 lands 7 ' of the Red River Valley. 



In regard to the analyses, No. 2574 and 2570, the samples agree very 

 closely in their contents of the more important soil constituents, viz, 

 phosphoric acid, potash, lime, &c., though the amount of nitrogen in 

 the former is nearly double that in the latter, which might be expected 

 from a virgin soil. 



No. 2575 and 2577 show a less amount of potash, phosphoric acid, 

 and nitrogen than No. 2574, owing to their having been under cultiva- 

 tion for a longer period, and no attempt having been made to keep up 

 the supply by the use of manures. As far as chemical analysis is con- 

 cerned, all these soils are rich enough in all the necessary soil constit- 

 uents for the continued raising of abundant crops, though the continued 

 cropping, year after year, without the use of manure is not to be recom- 

 mended if an abundant yield is to be maintained. A moderate appli- 

 cation of farm-yard manure, or the ashes of the cotton plant and seeds 

 mixed with lime, would certainly result in an increased yield. 



The sample of "creek bottom land" No. 2579, is deficient in its con- 

 tents of lime, and the application of this fertilizer would undoubtedly 

 increase the productiveness of the land. In other respects it is suffi- 

 ciently rich. 



The analysis of the sample of "Pine Hill land," No. 2580, shows the 

 complete absence of phosphoric acid, and a great deficiency of lime; in 

 fact, it is nearly all pure quartz sand. It would seem to be .a hopeless 

 task to bring such soils to any degree of profitable fertility, as there is 

 such a general deficiency of the most important plant constituents. The 

 continued application of such fertilizers as South Carolina phosphates, 

 containing both lime and phosphoric acid, and farm-yard and cotton-seed 

 manures, with the admixture of some of the "red clay" soils, would in 

 course of time greatly improve such lands; and as they cover nearly 

 three fourths of the area of this parish, some such course as above in- 

 dicated will have to be adopted. The mere application of lime in lib- 

 eral quantities would have a beneficial effect. 



The application of lime to the soils, Nos. 2581 and 2582, from Mr. 

 William Harris, would increase their fertility, as they are somewhat de- 

 ficient iu their contents of lime. 



