152 Soils of the Far West. 



1 •_> 3 4 



Soil (2) S U) 62 25 



Subsoil (2) 2 y 66 24 



Acres. 

 Salem, Oreg 78, 656 



Salem clay. — Heavy red loam or clay, 12 to 15 inches deep, rest- 

 ing on a red clay. Derived from red sandstone, argillaceous anti 

 schistose rocks, and a dense, close-grained ferrous basalt, all highly 

 ferruginous. Occurs on rolling hills, generally well drained. Fer- 

 tile soil, adapted to wheat, oats, hops, apples, prunes, and peaches. 

 Hops are less subject to mold and insect pests than those grown 

 on the bottom soils. The grain is of fine quality. Wheat yields 

 from 25 to 30 bushels and oats from 30 to 60 bushels per acre. 

 Hops yield about 1,200 pounds per acre. 



12 3 4 



Soil (1) 11 IS 26 45 



Subsoil (1) 10 17 24 49 



Acres. 

 Salem, Oreg 86, 400 



SAN LUIS SERIES AND ASSOCIATED SOILS. 



The soils are derived from lacustrine deposits of volcanic rock 

 materials. 



San Luis sand. — A very coarse, incoherent, loose, reddish-brown 

 sand containing a large proportion of fine gravel, underlain at a 

 depth of from 2 to 4 feet by a coarser material which can not be 

 penetrated with the auger. The soil is composed of minute frag- 

 ments of volcanic rock, and is light and easily shifted by the wind. 

 In origin it is without doubt a lacustrine deposit and the generally 

 level surface is crossed by minor ridges thought to be the result of 

 varying deposition taking place in currents of different velocities. 

 There are also some dunes from 1 to 6 feet high. These irregu- 

 larities are a great hindrance to cultivation and irrigation. The 

 drainage is excessive and constant irrigation is necessary. This 

 has swamped some areas, and brought about the rise of alkali 

 over large tracts of the type. Much of the originally productive 

 land has been abandoned for this reason. Fair crops of the small 

 grains are grown. The yield per acre of wheat is 15 to 30 bushels, 

 of oats from 20 to 40. Pease are gro^\Ti for pasture and for hay. 



