THE CABEINGTON SILT LOAM. 7 



ties the growing of a single grain has given place to mixed-crop 

 farming and to the adoption of regular crop rotations. At present, 

 probably 85 percent of the type is utilized for the production of grass 

 or grain, and the remainder consists of small undrained areas and 

 tracts of wooded land, found chiefly in the more eastern localities. 

 There is therefore little opportunity for more extended occupation 

 of the type. 



CROP ADAPTATIONS. 



In Indiana, Wisconsin, and southern Minnesota the Carrington 

 silt loam is an excellent corn soil, yields ranging from 35 to 60 bush- 

 els per acre, with an average yield in excess of 40 bushels. In these 

 localities corn is raised in regular rotation with some small grain and 

 mixed grasses, the corn being most commonly planted upon the 

 plowed sod land. The use of stable manure as the chief fertilizer 

 for the corn crop is common to the dairying districts where the 

 type occurs and the large yields of corn are readily maintained by 

 this practice. In the more northern latitudes, particularly in the 

 Dakotas, the growing of corn occupies a subordinate place and the 

 yields range from 25 to 30 bushels per acre. With the introduction 

 of short-seasoned varieties into the cooler climates the Carrington 

 silt loam should prove an excellent corn soil even in the more north- 

 ern areas of its occurrence. A large proportion of the corn grown 

 upon the type in Indiana and Wisconsin is fed on the place to dairy 

 and beef cattle, and for these purposes much of it is harvested into 

 the silo. 



Spring wheat is more extensively grown upon the Carrington 

 silt loam than any other grain crop. In Minnesota and North and 

 South Dakota the larger part of the acreage of the type is annually 

 sown to this crop. Excellent yields are obtained, ranging from 12 

 to 25 bushels per acre, and frequently exceeding 30 bushels where 

 crop rotation is practiced and stable manure is used. In such cases 

 wheat follows corn and is sown for one or two years, with a seeding 

 to mixed grasses with the last wheat crop. 



Upon the dairy farms oats constitute the chief small-grain crop 

 and yields of 35 to 50 bushels per acre are secured. The average yield 

 is probably in the vicinity of 40 bushels. 



In Minnesota and the Dakotas barley constitutes an important 

 and widely distributed crop upon the Carrington silt loam and ex- 

 ceptionally heavy yields are reported, ranging from 30 to 40 bushels 

 per acre. Rye is grown in some localities, giving excellent yields. 



A considerable proportion of the total area of the Carrington 

 silt loam is put annually in grass either for hay or pasturage. Usu- 

 ally the mixed grasses, chiefly timothy and clover, are sown, but 

 considerable areas of clover alone are raised both for the hay crop 



