4 BULLETIN 941, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



As a general statement, it may be said that while the soils of the 

 area are in the main similar, the amount of soil suitable for cultivation 

 varies greatly in the various counties, and in different locations in the 

 same county, because of differences in topography. The changes 

 from one phase of topography and soil to another occur without 

 regularity and with great abruptness. The soils are locally known 

 as "highland" or "upland" soils, and "lowland" or "valley" soils. 

 The highland soils predominate. The lowlands comprise the bottoms 

 and valleys, and their area is very limited. Intermediate between 

 these two primary groupings is a class of land neither highland nor 

 lowland which is known as "bench" land. (See fig. 3.) 



Fig. 3. — Types of Ozark land. In the upper view one looks down from the surrounding hills on a typical 

 river bottom. The lower picture is of a field on what are locally described as "bench" lands. 



LOWLANDS. 



The "valley" or "bottom" soils of the lowlands vary in character. 

 The best grade of bottom soil occurs in narrow strips along the rivers 

 and creeks. These strips are level and are the best and most fertile 

 farming lands of the region. Their extent, in comparison with the 

 total land area, is very small. The soils locally classed as "valley" 

 lands arc, as the name implies, valleys of varying depth, width, and 

 extent, which may bo found scattered throughout the entire region. 

 Practically all of the lowlands suitable for cultivation have been in 





