SOILS OF NEW YORK 115 



A dark gray to brown color prevails. The larger part 

 of the first bottom soils is placed in four main 

 series that are distinguislied chiefly by their color. 

 The lightest colored of these is the Caneadea series. 

 That of medium dark color is the Genesee series 

 which is the most extensive. The red series is called 

 the Barber and is associated with the Lackawanna 

 soils. The dark or black alluvial soils form the 

 Papakating series. 



The prevailing class in all these series is the silt 

 loam. Along small streams the loam, sandy loam 

 and gravelly loam are more common. 



The surface is likely to be mildly cut up by old 

 abandoned cliannels and overflow courses as most of 

 the land is subject to annual overflow, by which addi- 

 tions of sediment are formed. The bank of the 

 stream is usually highest and coarsest in texture. 

 The foot of the slope to the upland is lowest and most 

 poorly drained. These soils make first-class corn, 

 hay and vegetable lands. Small grains are liable to 

 lodge and to injury by overflow. Summer crops are 

 safer than winter ones. 



Swampy soils luive been formed in many blind 

 hollows and pockets in the surface of the country. 



The glacial incursion has given rise not only to 

 hundreds of lakes of all sizes and shapes, but to an 

 even larger number and variety of swampy areas 

 and mud flats. The low south shore of Long Island 

 and a little of Staten Island represent the marine 

 type of tidal flat which must be reclaimed if at all 

 by diking, and perhaps pumping the drainage water. 



