THE SOILS OF TENNESSEE. 167 



important crop in some counties, Montgomery and Robertson in partic- 

 ular. Nursery stock has been produced extensively in Franklin County 

 and peanuts in Perry and Humphreys counties. There is every indication 

 that the production of these special crops could be greatly increased. 



The results of chemical analyses and of field experiments show that 

 both lime and phosphoric acid are generally deficient. The better class of. 

 these soils will, however, produce excellent crops of clover when first culti- 

 vated, but in the course of time liming becomes necessary to their success- 

 ful culture, and is even more important for alfalfa. The supply of potash 

 appears fairly ample, at least for general farm purposes. The farmers 

 long ago found out the value of phosphate, but only in the last few years 

 has special attention been called to the importance of liming. 



The nitrogen and humus content, though fair when the land was first 

 cleared, has been greatly reduced tinder cultivation. As for other soils 

 the remedy lies in the growing of legumes, alfalfa and clover in partic- 

 ular, and in live stock farming, which will warrant grass pastures and 

 reduce the area now planted to grain crops. 



The "barrens" type. On the inside of part of the rim, and completely 

 encircling the Central Basin, are found gray-colored soils, which are de- 

 rived largely from siliceous formations, but in part from limestone con- 

 taining much chert. There is a considerable variation in this class of 

 soils, some being gray-colored with a gray subsoil and locally known as 

 "crawfishy" land ; others are gray-colored with a yellowish subsoil, and a 

 third type is gray to a light-brown in color with a red-colored subsoil. 

 The last type is considerably superior to the first or crawfishy type and 

 is also superior to the second. The area covered by these soils is rela- 

 tively large. The surface varies from gently undulating to hilly the lat- 

 ter being gravelly and very poor. 



These soils are silt loams of good texture and structure except where 

 very deficient in vegetable matter. The depth to the underlying rock is 

 ample and the drainage is generally good, but may be poor, especially on 

 the flat, gray-colored, crawfishy type. All of these types are naturally 

 very poor in phosphoric acid, lime, potash and nitrogen. Without the aid 

 of phosphate the profitable production of general farm crops is very diffi- 

 cult. Liming comes next in importance, and is generally a necessity in 

 order to get clover and the best results with legumes in general. Potash 

 is much less needed than either phosphate or lime, but in field experiments 

 has often been found to increase the yields of hay and of potatoes. Only 

 moderate applications are needed, however. The nitrogen supply is at best 

 insufficient and in parts quite low. 



Although these soils are rated among the poorest in the State, they are, 

 when properly fertilized, adapted to a large number of both farm and 



