The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-18

Of a wide range of crops. The growing season extends from the middle of March to November 1. The rainfall of about 50 inches is usually well distributed.
 Since the early settlement of the county cotton and corn have been the principal agricultural products. At pres ent cotton Is the money crop. A consid- erable acreage of corn is grown, but the average yield Is 12 to 13 bushels per acre; usually 1t does not meet the re- quirements for home use.
 'Cowpeas. cats, sorghum, and other forage crops are not extensively grown, and not very much attention is given to stock raising. The local demand for meats, dairy and poultry products, and feed stuffs, such as hay and grain, Is in excess of the production.
 "A limited amount of fruit and truck Is produced. Although conditions are fla vorable for these industries. they have never been attempted on a commercial scale
 "The largest plantations are located in the Cahaba valley. Most of the cotton produced on them is grown by negro ten- ants.
 "The smaller farms are usually occu- pied by the owners. who rent part of their
  hands. The wages of the latter range from $10 to s15 per month.
 "Twenty-six types of soil were mapped in this area. They may be divided into three general divisions-the residual soils of the northeastern part of the area, the red upland types in the western and southern sections. which are derived from the Tuscaloosa and Lafayette formations, and the alluvial types.
 "a Ko1h 1OaT has extensive development in the northeast ern part of the county It is derived from the Trenton limestones-the Deca- tur loam and clay loam.
 ''The Clarksville stony loam is type of low agricultural value and Is derived from very cherty limestone. It is fre- quently associated with rough stony land and often called flint hills.'
 "The Orangeburg series include two members. The fine sandy loam and the gravelly sand loam occupy extensive areas in the uplands and include some farm ing lands well adapted to cotton, cow peas, oats and a great variety of minor crops.
 ''The Greenville fine sandy loam Is a highly valuable type for general farm ing.
 ''The Guin soils are closely related in origin to the Orangeburg soils They are lighter colored, have sander sub-soils and are not so well adapted to the pro duction of cotton and corn.
 ''The Susuuehanna soils include a grav- ely loam which Is found principally in the western and southern parts or the county. Most of 1t Is of low agricultural value and should remain forested- The fine sandy loam has a very heavy sub soil. and in general is not as easily titled or as productive as the Orange burg fine sandy loam, which, in many places it closely resembles.
 The Kalmia fine sandy loam Is vaiua- ble type for general farming. It IS re- lated to the Orangeburg soils, and IS usually found on the lower slopes or the hills and in some of the recent bottoms.
 '.The Ockloeknee soils are found along the small streams. They represent the accumulation of sand and clay washed from the hills of Tuscaloosa and lafay- cite material Their present agricultural value depends largely upon the drainage.
 s'The Huntington soils are the over flow lands of the Cahaba river. Ihey, as well as the Cahaba soils. are coniposeo chiefly of alluvial materials derived rom the various formations found in the "a haba coal fields They are very fertile and constitute some Of the most Valuapie farming land in the county.
 ..The light colored and poorly drained soils along the creeks and In the lower Cahaba valley have been included In the Waverly series Owing to their poor drainage they have a rather low aSncul- tural value.
 "A few types of soil. members or the Norfolk and Montevallo series, occur III limited areas and form an unilhpor o,nt', ,',.a' part of the soil resources of the county.
 'sThe rough stony land. non agr1cui- tural type, and meadow are Of little im- nortance in the county