THE SOILS OF TENNESSEE. leg 



farming generally followed, and partly because the soils wash badly during 

 heavy rains. In fact no large area in the State has suffered from erosion 

 so much as this. In color the upland soils vary from a light red to gray 

 and brown. 



In the writer's opinion the soils of no other division of the State are in 

 general so well adapted to a great range of farm and garden crops or so 

 responsive to judicious treatment as these. 



The loess soil. Perhaps one- fourth of the total area of West Tennessee 

 is covered by a loess formation, which extends in a belt 20 to 25 miles 

 wide, across the western end of the State and parallel with the general 

 course of the Mississippi River. The soils are brownish loams, which lie 

 well for agricultural purposes, are readily tilled, and are adapted to all 

 crops. A rather high content of silt characterizes these soils, which are 

 of great natural strength and fertility. Even after long cultivation in 

 cotton and corn, with the attendant loss by erosion, and with little regard 

 to crop rotation, manuring, etc., profitable crops are obtained. In the im- 

 provement of such lands, liming and the production of legumes, the clovers 

 in particular should receive special attention. 



The La grange soils. The Lagrange formation covers about one- third 

 of West Tennessee, and occupies a belt 35 miles wide next to and parallel 

 with the loess formation. The major portion of this area is gently undu- 

 lating, but hilly areas are prominent. The soils of the latter are thinner 

 and have suffered more from erosion than the former. 



The typical soil is a grayish-brown silt loam with a yellowish-colored 

 subsoil. Considerable variation is not uncommon on the same farm, for 

 the grayish-brown loam is often replaced, especially on the lower levels, 

 by a gray-colored, very silty soil, resembling in general appearance the 

 "crawfishy" soils of Middle and East Tennessee. Both of these types 

 have been the subject of investigation at the West Tennessee Agricultural 

 Experiment Station at Jackson, and both have been found to be well sup- 

 plied with phosphoric acid and potash. The grayish-brown loam was 

 found to be very poor in lime, by the adding of which excellent crops of 

 clover and alfalfa were obtained, while without it they were complete 

 failures. This type was naturally very fertile, but long cropping in cotton 

 and corn, together with the attendant erosion, which is more serious than 

 for the loess soils, have greatly reduced the productiveness. However, 

 the readiness with which it responds to good treatment is very striking. 



The gray "crawfishy" soils have proved to be considerably superior to 

 soils of similar appearance found elsewhere in the State. Their chief 

 drawback comes from the ease with which the surface soil grains cement 



