The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-01-13

cision to What the Soil Under CuitivA-
ton 10 Best Adapted-Peculsritles for
Which NO Explanation Has Been Found
Washington Post,
The divisions Of soils of the Agri
cultural Department., which was es-
tablished couple of years ago. is
conducting some of the most inter
esting experiments o. the depart
ment. Prof. Million Whitney, VINO is
in charge of the division, is engaged
at present in the investigation of the
climatic conditions of moisture and
temperature IN their relation to the
local distribution of crops. The work
has a scope as broad as the country.
1t will eventually embrace all the
soils and staple crops. and in its re-
lation to the future of the country,
when crops must be specialized I'M
der the Intensified system of agricul-
ture, which must come to our farm
ers In a few years. it promises to be
of the utmost economic and practi-
cal value. Its practical utility will
u
water contents of the different soils
in various portions of the country,
their capacity for the absorption and
retention of moisture with the
amount of moisture required by diff
ferent crops, together with methods
for ascertalning the point where
lack of moisture would endanger
crops and the most feasible methods
of irrigation. Thus far the investi-
cation has covered only truck soils
in the East, tobacco soils, and an in
vestigation of Western soils.
Some marvellous results have al
ready been obtained. 1t has been
ascertained, for instance, in the mat
ter of tobacco growing that tobacco
wrappers which are grown on the
light soils of Connecticut, require
but 7 per cent of moisture, while the
filters, which are best grown on the
heavy soils of Pennsylvania and
Ohio, require 20 per cent. The in
vestlgation of wheat and the actual
amount of water required for its ma
tnrity will follow next, and subse-
vueutly the data as to other crops.
! Some Astounding Facts.
The investigation of the Western
soils, made with the aid of the Wealth
or Bureau, which covers lower Cali.
fornia, the San Joaquin Valley, the
great Palouse district, comprising
the fertile wheat growing districts OF
California, Washington and Nor.
tana, the Yellowstone Valley, and
also the Mojave and Nevada deserts,
has developed some most astounding
facts, and some which the Depart
ment of Agriculture is not yet able
to explain. Prof. Whitney says the
history of these soils will make the
most remarkable chapter in the his.
tory of the world agriculture. AL
though these soils, excepting the
Red River and desert districts men
toned, lave only from one-ffth tt
one-half of the annual rainfall re
ceived by the territory east of the
Mississippi river Chat is, from sever
to twenty inches,) they seldom, i
ever, suffer from drought.
Moreover, practically all the rain
fall they do receive comes in the fall
and winter seasons. Only a Sigh
fraction falls during the summe
months when the crops are growing
Yet the crops do not suffer. An in
vestigation of these HARVESTER,
soils has shown that they are largel,
made up of the disintegration of tn
original basaltic rock. and that Their
is little difference between the soil
and sub-soils, a difference yer,
) marked in the East. TLey have
} remarkable power for the absorption
, of moisture, and do not readily los
it by EVAPORATION, although the hu
, nudity of the atmosphere during tn
, growing season is much lower tina,
| in the East.