The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-17
SO|L SU 1VEY OF
 AUTAUCA COUNTY
Many Different Types of Soil
 Are Encountered
MUCH FINE SANDY LOAM
angeburg Clay Are Some cs the Soils Adapted to Cotton, Corn
 and Forage Crops


 United States department of agriculture survey of Autauga county. Alabama, by L. A. Hurst of the bureau of soils, de. partment of agriculture. and c. s. Wal. drop of the Alabama department of agrf. culture and industries, of which the fol. lowing is a summary:
 "Autauga county (area 5a5 square miles) IS located near the center of Alabama and lies within the coastal plain region The drainage waters of the area eventual ly reach the Gulf of Mexico through the Alabama river
 The early settlers came largely from Georgia. and the Carolinas and the pres. ent white population Is made up almost entirely of the descendants of these set tiers. There is large negro popula- tion, which forms the chief source of labor.
 "Prattville is the county seat and the largest town. Autaugaville, Billingsley, Vida, Spur. Jones and Marbury are four ishing villages
 The Louisville and Nashville, Mobile and Ohio. Southern, and Alabama Central railroads and the Alabama river furnish transportation facilities to the principal markets, including Montgomery, Mobile. New Orleans, Birmingham Selma and points in the north.
 ''The climate is moderate and is suited to wide range of crops The mean an nual temperature is about 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and the precipitation about 50 inehs. The average growing season is from March 10 to November s.
 ''rhe different soil types encountered in the survey are similar to those found in various other surveys in the gulf states. The surface features of the county con sist of three natural divisions-namely. the bottoms along the Alabama river and it's larger tributaries, the terraces along these same streams, and the uplands. These divisions are distinct from one an- other both as to origin and the soils found therein.
 The bottom lands represent the most recent formation In the area They are subject to frequent overflow and are so wet and swampy that with the exception of the Huntington loam in the bottoms of the Alabama river. they were classified as meadow and swamp.
 The next division consists of the first and second terraces along the larger streams. The terraces were formed in pleistoeone time and represent deposit tions which took place either when those streams were estuaries or when the whole region was under the gulf The surface features of the terraces are such that the drainage has never been excessive. The terraces are also high noagh above the streams to be free from overflow, and for these reasons the material from which the soils are derived have under gone very little change since it's original deposition The main soils found in this division are the Kalmia fine sandy loam, Kalnia sandy loam, kalmia sand, Myatt sandy loam, CahaDa fine sandy 1oam and Cahaba silt loam.
 ''rhe third division rises rather abrupt ly from the terrace areas and extends to the northern boundary of the county. being made up principally of level to rolling uplands with good drainage. The soils of this division are derived mainly from the gravel. sands and clays of the Lafayette mantle. In the drainage areas of the creeks and branches, however. these over-lying materials have in places been washed off exposing sands and clays of cretaeeous age, which underlie the whole area. In such places these earlier forma- tions enter into the formation of the soil. The soil types found in the uplands are the orangehurg fine sandy loam. Orange burg sandy loam, Orangeburg sand. Or angeburg clay, Greenville fine sandy loam, Greenville sandy loam, Norfolk loamy sand, Norfolk sandy loam, Norfolk nne sandy loam and Guin gravelly sandy loam.
 Adjacent to the Alabama river. where erosion has been greater, nar- ( -4o of the subdivisions of the cretaceous, has been exposed and given rise to the Houston clay and Houston chalk types.
 Including swamp and meadow. 23 soil types were mapped in the area. The meadow is not under cultivation but Is used extensively. for pasture. The Kalmia sand, sandy loam, and fine sandy loam, and Norfolk sandy loam. and fine sandy loam are generally used for cotton and corn, but are naturally better adapted to trucking. Sumatra wrapper tobacco has been found In other areas to be especially adopted to the finer textured soils of the Nor folk series with a sandy subsoil at a depth of 15 or 20 inches.
 "The Cahaba fine sandy loam and silt loam are best adapted to corn, cotton and forage. The Myatt sandy loam is well adapted to cabbage. tur- nips. beats. corn and hay, including Bermuda and Johnson grass. The Hunt ington loam Is subject to frequent over flow, but when the seasons are favor able very large yields of corn are ob- tained.
 The Houston chalk. Houston clay. and Oktibbeha clay loam are residual soils derived from materials of creta- ceous age. The Houston chalk Is bad ly eroded and has little present agri- cultural value. The Houston clay and Oktibbeha clay loam are suited to cot ton and corh and are well adapted to Bermuda and Johnson grass and af- falfa.
 '"rhe Orangeburg clay, the Orange burg sandy loam and the Orangeburg fine sandy loam are better adapted to cotton than to corn. The sandy loam soils are also well suited to peaches. A fair grade of filler tobacco has been grown upon these soils in other areas. The Greenyille sandy loam and fine