164 Porto Rican Soils. 



Ponce loam. — Is composed of a dark-brown alluvial loam, 3 feet or 

 more in depth. Originally swampy in part. When drained, well 

 adapted to sugar cane and Guinea-grass, also to bananas and plan- 

 tains. Best sugar land of the area. All under cultivation. 



1-234 

 Soil (1) : -l 20 57 20 



Acres. 

 •Arecibo to Ponce, P. K 2,480 



Utuado loam. — Dark-brown or yellowish loam, 7 inches deep, 

 friable and free from stones, underlain bv vellow loam becoming 

 lighter in texture at lower depths. Derived from igneous and vol- 

 canic rocks. Occupies hilly country in vicinity of Utuado. Some 

 areas adapted to coffee and fruit, but the greater part used for 

 pasture. 



1 •_' :J 4 



Soil (1) 11 28 28 34 



Subsoil (1) 10 30 30 30 



Acres. 

 Arecibo to Ponce, P. K 7, 880 



Arecibo silt loam. — Dark-brown silt loam, 12 to 36 inches deep, 

 underlain by dark loam or silt loam. Alluvial deposit occupying 

 low level areas along or near the coast. In the vicinity of Arecibo 

 excellent cane land, producing from 30 to 40 tons per acre. 

 Around Ponce, low lying and too alkaline for crops, on account of 

 occasional inundation by sea water. 



1 i :5 4 



Soil (4) 3 18 55 24 



Subsoil (3) 3 14 52 31 



Acres. 

 Arecibo to Ponce, 1 '. R 8, 960 



Adjuntas clay. — A red or dark-brown clay, 3 to 15 inches deep, 

 underlain by red clay 36 inches or more in depth. Derived from 

 volcanic and igneous rocks. Occupies steep slopes. Dithcult or 

 impossible to till, requiring great care to ])revent washing. The 

 principal and most important coffee soil of the Arecibo to Ponce 

 area. Also adapted to the growth of l)ananas, jdantains, and 

 oranges, where there is a suflicient depth of soil. 



