THE CLYDE LOAM. 13 



with the possible exception of the Clyde fine sandy loam and the 

 Clyde clay. In general the average yield per acre on the Clyde 

 loam through a period of years may be stated at 7 to 10 tons an acre. 

 There is little variation in the percentage of sugar, or in the index 

 of purity between the beets grown upon the different members of 

 the Clyde series. In general it may be stated that the larger and 

 heavier the beet the smaller the percentage of sugar content, while 

 the production of beets upon extremely mucky soils also tends to 

 decrease the purity of the juice. 



Many thousands of acres of sugar beets are annually grown upon 

 the Clyde loam in the southern peninsula of Michigan, and there is 

 a strong tendency to increase this acreage in all localities where an 

 adequate supply of labor for the care of the crop can be obtained. 



Special crops. Beans are grown to some extent as an intertilled 

 crop, preceding either wheat or oats, in both Michigan and Indiana. 

 The yields are good, ranging from 18 to 25 bushels per acre, with 

 an average yield of 20 bushels. Rye, barley, and buckwheat are also 

 produced to a limited extent, giving fair yields. 



In some localities there are also small acreages planted to cabbage 

 or celery, the former crop yielding from 8 to 15 tons per acre, with 

 an average of about 12 tons. The quality of the cabbage produced 

 upon the Clyde loam is reported to be excellent. Only a small area 

 of either onions, peppermint, or strawberries is now produced upon 

 the type, although it is well suited to the growing of each of these 

 crops when economic conditions and transportation are favorable. 



FARM EQUIPMENT. 



The farm equipment upon the Clyde loam does not differ materially 

 from the equipment upon other soils in the same general regions. 

 It may be said that larger teams and heavier tools are required for 

 the perfect tillage of this soil than upon any others of similar or 

 lighter textures. The somewhat plastic and dense character of both 

 the surface soil and the subsoil requires deep plowing and thorough 

 subsequent tillage in order to maintain the surface soil in mellow, 

 friable condition. Since the Clyde loam is practically stone free in 

 the majority of areas where it occurs the use of disk plows and disk 

 harrows is easily possible. The employment of such machinery 

 would obviate the tendency toward the forming of a plow sole or 

 " hardpan " at the normal depth of plowing, a difficulty sometimes 

 encountered in the use of the ordinary turning plow. 



The dominance of grass, oats, and corn, as the principal crops upon 

 the Clyde loam led to the introduction of dairying as an important 

 adjunct to crop production in the early days of the occupation of 

 this type. In all of the more eastern areas the excellent pasturage 

 afforded, the heavy cutting of hay, the large yield of oats, and the 



