56 BULLETIN 142, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



to 180 days, and is also provided with an abundant rainfall, except 

 at rare intervals. Corn is generally recognized as the most profitable 

 staple crop, and the constant tendency is to increase the acreage 

 planted. 



The availability of the Miami clay loam as a corn soil under these 

 climatic conditions is well shown by the average yields secured over 

 large areas and through periods of many years. The various soil 

 survey reports indicate that the range in yield is from 25 to 60 

 bushels per acre, with a general average of 40 bushels or more. 

 Statistical data confirm these figures, showing an average yield of 

 corn of approximately 44 bushels per acre for the western Ohio 

 counties where this soil is dominant and of 45.4 bushels per acre for 

 similar counties in central Indiana. In each case these yields are 

 above the average for the States. While the figures may be a little 

 high, due to the inclusion of average yields from excellent corn soils 

 found along numerous river terraces and from appreciable areas of 

 black upland soils, they are fairly representative of the capabilities 

 of the Miami clay loam for corn growing. These average yields are 

 only less than those secured from the dark prairie soils of the corn 

 belt, occurring immediately to the west of the region where the Miami 

 soils dominate. All evidences of high present yield, increasing- 

 acreage, and numerous instances of yields considerably in excess of 

 the average production indicate that the Miami clay loam is one of 

 the most important corn soils of the eastern part of the central corn- 

 growing belt. The soil survey reports consistently indicate that 

 portions of the type which either possess good natural drainage or 

 which have been tile drained produce corn crops above the average. 

 They also show that yields are increased by the practice of a regular 

 rotation which includes the production of clover or mixed clover and 

 timothy, and that the use of organic manures is essential to the pro- 

 duction of high yields of corn. 



The acreage in hay crops is second to that devoted to corn in 

 those Ohio and Indiana counties in which the Miami clay loam pre- 

 dominates. The average yields of mixed timothy and clover hay 

 are 1.4 tons per acre in the Ohio counties and a little over 1.3 tons 

 per acre in the Indiana counties. In both cases these yields are above 

 the averages for the respective States. The greater part of the hay 

 produced consists of mixed timothy and clover, although a large 

 amount of clover alone is grown in both these States. 



Oats are third in total acreage in these counties, covering but 

 slightly less area than hay. The yields per acre are slightly under 

 30 bushels in each State, being less than the State averages. The 

 yields of this crop on the Miami clay loam as it occurs in Michigan 

 and Wisconsin are higher than in the more southern localities. 



