SOIL SURVEY OF THE MIDDLE GILA VALLEY, ARIZONA. 21 



The value of raw land of the Mohave sandy loam ranges between 

 $12 and $75 an acre, depending upon the location and water supply. 



The addition of organic matter to this soil would improve its 

 physical condition. Where manures and green crops have been 

 plowed under, or where the silty irrigation waters of the Oila River, 

 rich in organic matter, have inundated the surface, tlie improvement 

 is noticeable. 



MOHAVE FINE SANDY LOAM. 



The surface soil of the Mohave fine sandy loam is a pronounced 

 reddish-brown or pale- red to grayish-red, rather coarse and gritty, 

 calcareous fine sandy loam, 6 to 10 inches deep. The subsoil is a 

 very compact, light-red or brownish-red or grayish-red calcareous 

 fine sandy loam, or loam in which occur lenses or layers of partly 

 cemented material. Under irrigation the hard layers soften some- 

 what, but even the uncemented subsoil is so compact that the move- 

 ment of moisture and the penetration of plant roots are hindered. 

 The same condition decreases the water-holding capacity of the soil. 

 A gravelly substratum underlies the type at considerable depth. 



This type is very uniform over large areas, but in places the soil 

 has been modified by winds, the surface soil in such places being 

 deeper and more open and friable than typical. The surface of the 

 greater part of the type is smooth and favorable to cultivation and 

 irrigation. 



The larger areas have sufficient slope to insure good drainage, and 

 as a result of the structure of the subsoil most of the precipitation 

 is lost as run-oiF. Some lower lying areas of the type are affected by 

 accumulations of alkali. The narrow ridges of this type, which 

 border flats occupied by heavier soils need leveling before they can 

 be cultivated. 



The Mohave fine sandy loam is an extensive soil. Most of it occurs 

 in large bodies north of Casa Grande and along McClellan Wash. 

 Smaller areas are mapped to the southeast of Casa Grande, northwest 

 of Santan, and north and northwest of Tw^in Butte. One small area 

 occurs west of Blackwater and another west of Casa Blanca. The 

 native vegetation consists of a growth of desert sage, creosote bush, 

 and several varieties of cacti. In areas where alkali salts have ac- 

 cumulated "seep weed" is a common plant. 



Little of the type is under cultivation. Several farms are pro- 

 ducing alfalfa, but no data as to yields are obtainable. The non- 

 saccharine sorghums, cotton, and truck crops can be produced where 

 the soil is free from alkali and where subsurface conditions are fa- 

 vorable. Peaches, apricots, and figs are produced locally. The type 

 is low in organic matter and responds to applications of manure or to 

 the incorporation of green manures. Much of it is very droughty, 

 owing to the shallow soil and compact structure of the subsoil. 



