The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1911-02-02
Sole SURVEY
REPORT OUT
FOR SECTION
OF West Virginia. Embracing
Writ, Roane and Cal
houn Counties.
DESCRIBED IN DETAIL
Extracts as to Use and to
What Adapted Are Very
Interesting.

z
WASHINGTON d. G., Jan. 2s.-
The United States Department Of Az
riculture. through the Bureau OF Soils
has issued its report on the soil survey
of the Spencer area in West Virginia,
embracing Writ, Roane and Calhoun
counties. The report is accompanied
by a large colored map showing the
location and extent of the different
soil. types Of the area. Embraced in
the area covered in this survey are
1854 square miles or s74,5so acres.
The report says in part:
The topography is characteristic
Of the Appalachian Plateau region be.
ing rough and broken for the most
part. The climate is well suited 10
general farming, especially to stock
raising. The principal field crops
grown in this area are corn, wheat,
potatoes and hay. Apples are pro-
duced in great abundance, and. other
fruits on a smaller scale. but there are
no strictly commercial orchards.
Large areas are in binegrass pastures
and support large numbers OF cattle
and sheep. Pittsburg is the best cat
tie market for the area.
THE soils of the area are all derived
from the Permlani; beds and coal
measures of the Garboniferous era.
Six of the ten soil types are residual
upland soils, while the four remaining
are alluyial or bottom land soils, two
being terraces, or second bottom. soils
and two first bottom soils.
THE Meigs clay loan is the mos;
extensive type in the area. 1t occdrs
mostly upon the hiflsides and narrow
ridges. The topography Is very steep
and broken and theatype is very sus-
ceptible to erosion. much oft is. still
in forest and the larger part. Of that
cleared is used; for, grazing, II sup
ports good Bluegrass sod. which is
usually short lived.
THE Brooke clay loan is of lime
stone origin and is ongSof the most
productive soils in the area. 1t &C.
ours over small areas on ridge tops
and is well adapted to wheat. tobac-
co, clover, grasses and fruits.
"The Upshur clay is extensively de-
veloped in Roane county. 1t is nearly
all cleared and in pasture. The more
level ridge tops and Shelf land are
the only portions cultivated. 1t pro-
drces good crops OF wheat, corn and
clover, but garden crops and fruits do
not thrive.
The DeKalb silt loan occurs in
small spots throughout the area. usu-
ally on small broadened ridges or
plateaus. The topography is level to
gently rolling and. although the type
is not naturally productive, it is easily
improved and produces good crops OF
corn and oats. Garden crops and
fruits do exceptionally we'll.
The DeKahb sandy loan occurs in
very limited areas. usually upon ridges
whore massive sandstone or sandy
shale has weathered in place. It
produces very poor crops and has very
low agricultural value.
Rough, stony land is not as ex-
tremely developed in the area as in
other areas in West Virginia. 1t has
little or no agricultural value.
THE Tyler silt loan is found upon
the terraces of the larger streams. II
is suited to wheat, oats. corn and po-
tatoes and produces fair crops of hay.
Where 1t occurs Oto 100 feet above
the stream bed 1t makes good sites
for orchards.
The Tyler sandy loan is found in
only few places and occupies the
same relative position us the Tyler silt
loan. 1t is fine soil for truck crops
but is not strong enough to produce
the staple crops.
The Huntington silt.loam repre-
sents a larger proportion of the fruit
bottom soil OF the area, 1t is a very
productive soil and Yields large crops
of corn and hay. a,
''The Msohannon silt loan occupies
the same position as the Huntington
silt loan, but represents the wash