SOIL TYPES 21 



growing small fruits. Such soils will retain from 10 

 to 1 8 per cent, of water. There is a noticeable differ- 

 ence as to the adaptability of different kinds of fruit 

 to different soils. Some fruits thrive on clay land, 

 provided the proper cultivation and treatment are 

 given. There is as much diversity of soil, required for 

 producing different fruit crops as for the production of 

 different farm crops. As a rule, however, a silt soil 

 is most capable of being adapted to the various con- 

 ditions required by fruit crops. 



14. Corn Soils. — The strongest types of corn soils 

 are those which contain from 40 to 45 per cent, of 

 medium and fine sand and about 15 per cent, of clay. 

 Corn lands should contain about 15 per cent, of avail- 

 able water. Heavy clays produce corn crops which 

 mature later than those grown on soils not so close 

 in texture. Many corn soils contain less sand and 

 clay, but more silt than the figures given. If the soil 

 contains a high per cent, of organic matter, good corn 

 crops may be produced where there is less than twelve 

 per cent, of clay. Soils containing a high per cent, of 

 sand are usually too deficient in available water to 

 produce a good crop. On the other hand heavy clay 

 soils are slow in warming up and are not suited to corn 

 culture. 



The strongest types of corn soils have the proper 

 mechanical composition for the production of good 

 crops of sorghum, cotton, flax, and sugar-beets. How- 



