THE CLYDE SEEIES OF SOILS. 29 



lion cf the county where it occurs. This arises from the fact that 

 the Clyde sandy loam was probably formed as a somewhat sandy 

 outwash when glacial waters were discharged down the present 

 drainage ways of the Eel and White Rivers. For a time at least 

 these waters were so ponded as to form a local glacial lake within 

 which sandy outwash material was deposited. This was mingled 

 with a considerable amount of organic matter from the vegetation 

 that grew in the swampy areas which ultimately resulted. In the 

 majority of the other areas where the Clyde sandy loam occurs the 

 surface is gently undulating to somewhat ridged. In the Saginaw 

 area, Michigan, the Clyde sandy loam represents areas cf sandy 

 glacial till or water-laid moraines where glacial material was de- 

 posited either through glacial outwash or at such low levels that 

 shallow lake waters covered a considerable proportion of the dis- 

 tinctively glacial till. In such regions all of the lower-lying por- 

 tions of the Clyde sandy loam were formed under water-logged, 

 swampy conditions, and a large amount cf organic matter was de- 

 posited under these circumstances. 



The local drainage conditions for the Clyde sandy loam vary con- 

 siderably. In northern Greene County, Ind., the area now occupied 

 by this soil type constituted extensive marshes in the earlier days, 

 and the dredging of large ditches was essential before any por- 

 tion of the type could be reclaimed and used for agricultural pur- 

 poses. In the Michigan areas where the Clyde sandy loam occurs 

 extensively it was frequently the case that the higher lying and 

 better drained portions of the type could be immediately used for 

 agriculture without the installation of extensive drainage works. 

 However, the lower lying and depressed portions of this soil have 

 been considerably improved for agricultural occupation by the dig- 

 ging of short local ditches and occasionally through the installation 

 of tile drains. In almost all cases the producing power of the soil 

 is decidedly increased where tile underdrainage is practiced. 



The Clyde sandy loam constitutes an excellent general farming 

 soil, except where it still exists under swampy conditions. Corn is 

 the principal crop grown upon this soil, and the yields range from 

 35 to 40 bushels per acre under average conditions, with yields attain- 

 ing 80 bushels per acre under particularly favorable conditions of 

 drainage and of long growing season. Oats are grown extensively, 

 giving yields which range from 25 to 40 bushels per acre. Hay also 

 gives excellent yields, ranging from 1 to 1^ and sometimes as high as 

 2 tons per acre. Timothy alone is grown or timothy mixed with 

 some of the clovers, usually the alsike or red varieties. In Michigan 

 a considerable amount of clover is grown alone. The first cutting 

 is saved for hay. Frequently the second cutting is allowed to mature 



