DESCRIPTION 01" THE OZARK REGION. 15 



tions in some places of a brown shade. Below the surface of the soil to a depth fre- 

 quently of 3 feet the material is a heavy, compact, silty loam or silty clay having a 

 reddish or brownish color, sometimes mottled with gray. 



Aa a rule there is a marked deficiency in organic matter throughout this soil type. 

 Even in the woodlands the proportion of humus is very small, and this disappears rapidly 

 with a few years of cultivation. Unlike most soils which are similar in texture to it 

 and which are low in organic matter, the Clarksville silt loam does not become compact 

 and hard, but remains loose and friable even under very unfavorable conditions. It 

 has an excellent water-holding capacity and responds readily to applications of manure 

 and to the rotation of crops with clover. On account of mismanagement it is very low 

 in productiveness in many instances, but it is easily brought into a high state of pro- 

 ductivity which may be readily and economically maintained. 



The surface is quite free from stones except in patches. In places where it is 

 apparent that this soil and the Clarksville stony loam are derived from much the same 

 formations, this freedom from stone appears to be the chief difference between these 

 two types. But this in itself gives rise to other differences of importance. The rock 

 fragments of the Clarksville stony loam render its soil and subsoil more open, and con- 

 sequently less able to withstand drought, while on the other hand the Clarksville silt 

 loam is more subject to the effect of prolonged wet weather. 



The Clarksville silt loam is second in importance, Clarksville stony- 

 loam being first, in comparison with the other types in tins region, 

 in the extent of the area which they occupy. 



Occasionally there occurs in restricted areas a type of soil known 

 locally as "prairie soil'' on which orchards have been planted. 



The surface of the "prairie soil" is composed of a dark colored, in 

 some cases nearly black, loam, while the subsoil is usually similar to 

 that of one or the other of the types described above. This type of 

 soil occupies level tracts where little or no erosion has occurred and 

 as a rule is not as well drained as are the others mentioned. 



On account of the differences in the geological formation of the por- 

 tion of this region which lies south of the Arkansas River in the 

 Ouachita Mountain section in comparison with the section which lies 

 between the Arkansas and Missouri Rivers, there are corresponding 

 soil differences which should be noted. 



The fragments of chert and flint rock which form such a conspicu- 

 ous feature in the Clarksville stony loam are mostly absent in the 

 arable land in the Ouachita Mountain section. Sandstones are abun- 

 dant here and in many places have decidedly influenced the character 

 of the soil, giving rise to sandy and sandy-loam types. Clay and 

 clay loams, frequently highly impregnated with iron oxid and pro- 

 ducing the characteristic red color due to the presence of that sub- 

 stance, also occur as prominent types. 



That the principal soil types in the Ozark region which have com- 

 monly been devoted to apple and peach orchards are well adapted to 

 the growing of the trees is very apparent. One of the most striking 

 pomological features of the region is the large size of the trees for 

 their age, in the young orchards at least until they are 10 to 15 years 

 old, in comparison with trees of the same age in many other fruit- 



