THE CECIL SANDY LOAM. 9 



atmosphere. With a sandy type like the Cecil sandy loam this is a 

 requisite to the maintenance of a sufficient supply of moisture in the 

 surface soil and the shallower portions of the subsoil for the growth of 

 long-season crops like cotton or corn. The use of the small turn plow 

 for plowing out cotton and corn should only be resorted to when the 

 ground is occupied to an unusual extent by growths of grass and 

 weeds. The shallow stirring implements like the steel-tooth culti- 

 vator are every way preferable for the latter part of the tillage of 

 the crop. 



In preparing the seed bed, as the soil is turned over by the plow it 

 should be harrowed at once. This will tend to preserve the soil mois- 

 ture stored in the sandy loam surface soil for the use of crops, in- 

 stead of allowing its evaporation into the air. Wherever possible 

 the disk plow and disk harrow should be employed in the prepara- 

 tion of the land. Such implements thoroughly stir the surface soil, 

 while they aid in compacting the immediate subsoil without the for- 

 mation of a " hardpan " layer. Both processes tend toward the con- 

 servation of soil moisture. 



Few areas of the Cecil sandy loam require any artificial drainage. 

 In fact, the chief tendency of the soil type is toward too free drainage 

 and toward the bodily washing away of the surface soil material. 

 Consequently erosion is the principal soil problem encountered by 

 those who are tilling the type. It is impossible within the limits 

 of the present circular to describe fully the steps which should be 

 taken to prevent soil erosion or to lessen its evil effects upon the tilled 

 land comprised within the limits of this type. The ordinary methods 

 for the prevention of soil erosion consist of contour farming, w r here 

 the rows of the tilled crop are carried horizontally around the slopes ; 

 of terracing, where unplowed strips are left at the requisite intervals 

 to grow up to grass and thus to interrupt the free passage of surface 

 water directly down the slope ; of deeper plowing upon the more level 

 areas, in order that the soil reservoir for the absorption of water 

 may be deepened and enlarged; of the incorporation of the largest 

 possible amount of partly decayed organic matter in the surface soil, 

 to form a spongy medium for the absorption and retention of soil 

 moisture ; and of the growing of cover crops during the winter months, 

 which by their mat of surface vegetation and through the binding 

 effect of their root growth may aid in maintaining the soil material 

 in its natural position. When to these methods of the control of soil 

 erosion there may be added a systematic rotation of crops which shall 

 maintain a considerable proportion of the entire area of this type 

 under sod cover, there need be little fear of the further encroachment 

 of gullies and eroded soil areas within the limits of the Cecil sandy 

 loam. 



91291 11 2 



