GROUP OF LOAMS AND FINE SANDY LOAMS. 
43 
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND IMPROVEMENT OF SUPERIOR LOAM, 
FINE SANDY LOAM, AND SANDY LOAM 
These soils are more open in texture than the group of heavy 
soils. They have a water holding capacity which is sufficient 
to insure good pasture, where the land is in grasses. Because 
of the more rolling surface, and the higher content of fine sand 
in the surface soil, the natural drainage is better than on the 
heavy level lands and the soil thus warms uj) earlier in the spring 
and does not have the tendency to hake and crack which is char¬ 
acteristic of some of the heavier soils. These qualities make 
these types better adapted to such crops as corn and potatoes, 
and also to the growing of fruit. 
The total amount of the plant food elements phosphorus and 
potassium is nearly but not quite as large in the loams and fine 
sandy loams, as in the group of heavy soils previously described. 
The amount of organic matter is somewhat smaller, as is also 
the supply of nitrogen. Because of this and the coarser texture 
the rate of chemical change may not always be as rapid as in 
the heavier soils. For this reason the increase in the supply of 
active or fresh organic matter and the use of available plant food 
either in the form of stable manure or commercial fertilizer be¬ 
comes more important, especially when crops are grown which 
are sold from the farm. 
An increase of the supply of organic matter in these soils is 
of great importance. It is desirable to have nearly twice as 
much organic matter in the soil as these types now contain. The 
plowing under of legumes, such as the second crop of clover, or 
a crop of f>oy beans is a good way of securing this result. The 
supply of stable maure is usually too limited to meet the needs 
of the entire farm. 
As in the group of heavy soils in this county, and as is quite 
common in most of the state the phosphorus content of these soils 
is below normal, and should be increased. Even the use of 
stable manure will not itself supply the amount of phosphorus 
needed, and it is a good plan to supplement the use of stable ma¬ 
nure with a phosphate fertilizer. Acid phosphate is the most 
quickly available and under present • conditions is doubtless the 
most profitable form to use. This may be applied with small 
grain which is seeded to clover and about 250 to 300 pounds per 
acre should be used. When used with corn it may be drilled in 
