BULLETIN 193, U, S. DEPARTMENT OP AGEICULTURE. 



SOILS. 



In connection with the di'ainage survey a number of soil borings 

 were made in all parts of Jefferson County to depths of 10 to 15 feet, 

 to ascertain whether any unusual difficulties would be encountered 

 in the construction of ditches and levees or in draining the land by 

 tiling. Several distinct types of soils were found, the predominating 

 surface soils being fine sandy loams, loams, clay loams, silt deposits, 

 and muck, all underlain by a deep stratum of clay. Limited areas 

 of fine sand were also found at the surface in certain parts of the 

 county. 



The most common type of surface soil is the fine sandy loam, 

 averaging 12 to 14 inches deep; this was found upon practically 

 all the higher land which may be drained by gravity. The loam 

 soils are mostly found in the great flat areas or fresh-water marshes 

 in the interior of the county. The marshes bordering on the Neches 

 River are composed entirely of alluvial soil, and the open marshes 

 south of Beaumont are largely muck with a high percentage of sUt. 

 Parts of these marshes are so soft it is nearly impossible to walk 

 across them. The great marsh in the southern part of the county 

 is composed principally of muck formed by decaying marsh grass, 

 underlain by silt. Practically every boring encountered clay between 

 the 2-foot and 10-foot depths; below 10 feet the clays contained much 

 sand, and some pockets of quicksand were found at 10 to 13 feet. 



So far as the construction of drainage works is concerned, no par- 

 ticularly unfavorable soil conditions were found on the upland portion 

 of the county. The underlying clays of that region are quite imper- 

 vious and prevent the downward percolation of water, and it is this 

 fact that makes the level prairies so valuable for growing rice. How- 

 ever, where any other crops are grown it will be found advantageous 

 to lay tile to remove the surplus water from the soil. Tiling has not 

 been tried to any extent in Jefferson County, principally because rice 

 is the principal crop and because there are at present no outlets for 

 underdrains, but there is no doubt that this kind of drainage will 

 work successfully in this soil. The marsh soils may cause consider- 

 able trouble during construction if caution is not exercised in handling 

 the soft materials. The removal of surplus water from the ground 

 will tend to solidify the marsh soil, and cultivation will assist in mak- 

 ing it firm. Sugar cane, rice, corn, forage, and truck have been 

 raised in Louisiana on reclaimed marsh lands that appear to be similar 

 to the marshes of Jefferson County, Tex. 



NATURAL VEGETATION. 



The natural vegetation on the great level prairies is ordinarily 

 prairie grass and sedge. The salt marshes support a heavy gi'owth 

 of salt or wire grass, and in some places, particularly along the bayous 



