THE MIAMI SEEIES OF SOILS. 45 



of the arable acreage each year. The better farmers throughout the 

 section occupied by the Miami clay loam practice these methods of 

 organic-matter restoration and are well repaid by crop yields being 

 maintained and even increased. 



In connection with the production of the grass crops, particularly 

 the clovers, the application of lime to this dense, compact soil results 

 in increased yields wherever it is properly practiced. Either finely 

 ground limestone rock or the burned stone lime may be used for this 

 purpose. Where the powdered limestone is used, considerably larger 

 applications are required than in the case of the quick lime. In the 

 latter case applications of 1,500 to 2,000 pounds per acre result in 

 marked increases in the yields of clover hay. At least double this 

 quantity of ground limestone is necessary in order to secure the same 

 results. 



Another method for securing improvement in the crop yields of 

 the Miami clay loam consists of the maintenance of the best tilth 

 possible in the surface soil. The fine texture of the surface soil gives 

 rise to a tendency toward clodding and baking unless the land is 

 handled when the moisture conditions both of the surface soil and 

 subsoil are particularly favorable. Plowing should not be attempted 

 either when the soil is thoroughly baked and hardened or when it is 

 wet and soft. In the former case large clods are formed which are 

 very difficult to break down into a favorable condition by any sub- 

 sequent tillage operations. In the latter case both the surface soil 

 and the subsoil at plow depth are likely to become puddled and to 

 form a "hardpan" or other physical condition unfavorable to the 

 processes of root growth. A little care in the plowing of this land 

 when it is in the condition of optimum moisture content will usually 

 obviate both of these difficulties. It should be held in mind, more- 

 over, by every owner of land of this character that the soil resources 

 locked up in the baked and hardened clods are absolutely unavailable 

 for the use of the growing crops, besides constituting a danger in the 

 cultivation of the intertilled crops through the breaking down of 

 the young plants. Thorough harrowing, preferably with the disk 

 harrow, will generally serve to break up the surface clods, and the 

 use of some such tillage implement is necessary in the proper prepara- 

 tion of the land. 



There are few special crops which are suited to production upon 

 the Miami clay loam, and the best types of agriculture conducted 

 upon this soil are those embodying the production of grain and 

 grass and the utilization of these for feeding dairy cattle and other 

 stock. In the more rolling areas, especially where the low hills of 

 the morainal belt are found, apple orcharding may be undertaken on 

 a small scale. Even in such areas the heavy texture of the soil and 



