324 



THE IRON ORE DISTRICT OF EAST TEXAS. 



ANALYSES OF MULATTO SOILS. 



Moisture and volatile matter, 



Soluble silica 



Insoluble silica 



Oxide of iron 



Alumina 



Phosphoric acid . 



Lime 



Magnesia 



Sulphuric acid. 



Chlorine 



Potash 



Soda 



Soil. 



Sub- 







6.10 



10.39 



0.23 



0.25 



72.09 



59.14 



16.39 



25.73 



2.-78 



3.14 



0.23 



0.44 



0.28 



0.16 



0.22 



0.30 



1.54 



0.31 



0.10 



0.11 



0.103 



0.23 



0.39 



0.46 



These soils were selected by Dr. Penrose as typical of the mulatto soils of 

 East Texas. Their fertility as virgin soils is largely due to the percentage of 

 phosphoric acid they contain. The percentage of potash is very fair. 



This class of soils is probably the best of the county, outside those of the 

 river bottoms, and as they are the result of the decomposition of the under- 

 lying beds of greensand marls will prove very lasting as well as fertile. Deep 

 plowing is the best thing that can be done to increase their fertility or renew 

 it in case of its decrease. 



These soils, however, are not the prevailing ones of the county, and it is 

 therefore most important that means be found to increase the fertility of the 

 two other classes described, and to add to their durability. 



Our analyses show us that the phosphoric acid, one of the most needful ele- 

 ments, is present in sufficient quantity in all these soils; that it is lime and 

 potash in which they are deficient. If, therefore, these elements can be sup- 

 plied in proper quantity at a reasonable outlay, we will be able to correct the 

 inequalities and secure a soil fully up to the ideal, which will be both fertile 

 and durable. Such a source of supply exists throughout the northern portion 

 of the county in the deposits of greensand marls which are found exposed in 

 the various creek valleys and on the hillsides. It is not all equally valuable. 

 Parts of it have been more altered than others, and the potash, if present 

 originally in large quantity, has been removed by solution. Other portions 

 contain few shells and are low in the percentage of lime. There are localities, 

 however, where in the unaltered greensand marls we find as much as four, 

 five, and even six per cent of potash, and up to ten and twelve per cent of 

 lime. The following analyses, by Mr. L. E. Magnenat, of greensands from 

 Houston County only represent two localities, and were not selected on ac- 

 count of their probable value, but for their proximity to the place at which it 

 was desired to use them. 



