SOILS 19 



ganic matter, and are reasonably rich in lime and mag- 

 nesia, which seem to be essential constituents of a soil 

 suited to the growth of potatoes. The potash is also 

 in fair quantity, but not sufficient to produce maximum 

 crops. The famous potato-growing counties of Wiscon- 

 sin, Portage, Waushara, and Waupaca had over 60,000 

 acres in potatoes in 1899, and these are as important 

 to the Central States as Aroostock County, Maine, is 

 to the Eastern States. The soil is glacial drift, some 

 of it being made up of level deposits of sand and gravel 

 covered with a light loam. The sand is usually un-j 

 derdrained by a bed of coarse gravel. Sandy loams 

 prevail. Clayey loams occupy some areas, but are 

 not prevalent. The average yield is 100 bushels 

 per acre. 



On Long Island, N. Y., the chief potato soils on the 

 south side of the island are light silt loams underlain 

 either by gravel or sand, while gravelly till is the 

 main type on the northern side. The yields vary from 

 80 to 250 bushels per acre. 



The Influence of Soil on Different Varieties. 

 Professor Buffum, 1 of Wyoming Experiment Station, 

 reported on eight varieties grown on each of two kinds 

 of soil represented on the experiment farm. The soil 

 and crops were treated alike. Plat i is bench-land 

 above the river, and is a deep red colluvial soil con- 

 taining little humus. Plat 2 is bottom-land next the 

 river, and is a black soil containing a large amount of 

 humus. 



1 Wyo. Bui. 32, p. 6. 



