The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-08
SOIL SURVEY MADE IN
 TALLAPOOSA COUNTY
Valuable Information Is Given
 for Farmers
MANY KINDS OF SOIL
Residual, sedimentnry and AlIuvial Types Are Found Which Are Adapted to Growing Corn, Sugar Cane and Truck

Washington. February 7.-(Special.) ) The United States department of ag- rlculture has issued through the bu- reau of soils the report on the soil survey of Tallapoosa county. Alabama The report contains valuable informa- ton as to the character of the soils of the county, to what they are best adapted and how they may be im- proved through up-to date, scientific methods of farming, and is accom- panied by a large map of the county, showing in colors the location and ex- tent of the various soil types encoun- tered An interesting summary of the report follows
 "Tallapoosa county, Alabama, has an area of ITO square miles. or 492.s00 acres It Is situated in the west-cen- tral part of the state, at an average elevation of $50 to 75o feet.
 "The industries are chiefly agricul- tural
 "The railway transportation for most of the county is excellent. The coun- ty is within few hours freight ser vice or AllaHta, MOHlBoIHeTy anu Dir mingham.
 "The chief towns are Dadeville, Alex ander City, Camp Hill. Jackson's Gap, Hackneyville and Dudleyville.
 "The climate Is mild and free from sudden extremes and very healthful The growing season for tender veeeta- ton has an average length of 233 days, te tot to t1tr of nearly all ordinary farm produce.
 Nearly two-thirds of the land is farmed by tenants on share basis The average value of farm lands is about SIS an acre.
 Water power sites of great com mercial value will doubtless be the means of developing extensive home markets when the streams are utilized for this purpose
 "The soils consist of residual types in the Piedmont upland, sedimentary types in the small section of the coastal plain province included In the south ern part of the county and the alluvfal soils mapped as meadow. The Pied mont soils are derived from crystal line and metamorphic rocks; the coast al plain soils from the Lafayette, marine sediment.
 'The meadow Is extensively devel- oned along the streams throughout the county, and is best adapted to corn sorghum and sugar cane. Good crops of oats are also grown.
 "The Durham coarse sandy loam produces general farm crops, but with the development of better roads to shipping points will find its best adap- I--------- --------- Ai>-- ,-.,ial- growing truck crops.
 The Worsham sandy loam and Ire dell stony sandy loam are of limited extent and importance. but when prop erly managed yield good general farm crops. On the hilly slopes of the Iredell stony sandy loam. which have a deep red subsoil tree fruits should do well. with the exception of the Cecil slate loam the soils of the Cecil series are adapted to the great staple crops of the south, and also to wide range of forage and hay and truck crops. They offer opportunities for stock raising; cattle and hogs for meat. and
 mules and horses to supply the local demand for work animals.
 The lighter phases of Cecil clay loam and stony loam and also the heavier portions of the sandy loam in l good years will give two crops of Irish potatoes. The markets for pota- | toes are unexcelled.
 The Cecil slate 1oam has been proved to be well adapted to tree and bush fruits, as well as to scuppernong and other grapes suited to the climate. This type will doubtless some day be t,tti1 Par fo1 oAo~ The Orangeburg and Norfolk se- ries, while not extensively developed, are good general-purpose soils with a wide range of crop adaptation, The low yields secured at present are large ly due to shallow blowing and insuf- fcient humus These soils, together with the Cecil sandy loam, are excel lently adapted to the culture of sweet potatoes"