104 



SOILS. 



hammer will make any impression upon them. The physical 

 analysis of these usually gray soils shows that they contain only 

 a trifling amount of clay; perhaps i or 2%, playing the part 

 of linseed oil in making putty out of whiting. Even the addi- 

 tion of lime does not help such soils much, because there is 

 little or no clay to flocculate. They are, as a matter of fact, 

 among the most refractory lands the farmer has to deal with. 

 A soil showing similar behavior, though not quite as extreme 

 as in the case of the Gulf or Cotton States' soils in question, 

 occurs at the culture substation at Paso Robles, California, 

 and is probably closely correlated to the physical hardpan re- 

 ferred to above. The physical analysis of this soil yielded the 

 following result : 



MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF SOIL. 



It would seem the best and almost only remedy to be ap- 

 plied to such soils as these is the introduction of vegetable 

 matter or green-manuring, by which their texture is loosened : 

 for the hauling of mere clay upon the land would hardly ac- 

 complish the purpose intended, within the limits of farm 

 economy. 



Dust Soils, which during the dry season are even in their 

 natural condition so loose as to rise in clouds and render travel 

 very uncomfortable, are not uncommon in arid countries, e. g., 

 in Washington and adjacent parts of Oregon, on the uplands 

 bordering the Columbia, Yakima and Snake rivers. The 

 physical analyses of three of such soils, given in the table be- 

 low, will convey some idea of their peculiarities in this respect. 



