The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-01-13
FAR MING LANDS
In THIS STATE
Mighty Productive.-Buresu OF Soils
Files Report on Farming Lands
Southern Section.
Intsrigenesr Bureau.
Washington, D. c., jan IL.

-
Highly productive farming lands are
found in the Huntington area OF West
Virginia. composed OF the counties OF
Cabell. Lincoln Wayne. and con-
sisting OF 500 200 acres. according 10
. report given out today by the Bureau
ical Survey. The report deal ex-
haustively with agricultural condi-
tons and prospects.
Wheat. hay. corn. potatoes and to-
bacco are the principal crops and
large yields are found. Besides agri-
l culture a large numbe of the popula-
ton is engaged in numbering, in the
oil and gas fields and in coal mines.
The report says in part:
The topography is rough and
broken. except for the bottom land.
river terraces m old river channels.
which have a comparatively even sur
face. The area has an elevation OF
from 500 feet along the Ohio river to
about 1900 feet In places along the
southern boundary. The drainage OF
the area leads into the Ohio river
through Guyandot. Mud and Big Sandy
rivers, and Twelvepole creek.
Most OF the population is confined
70 the valleys and Is we'll apI.rtioned
over the area In bottom lands. the
hill Ian being sparsely settled. espec-
ially In the southern part of the area.
1 The Products.
Wheat. corn. hay. potatoes and
vegetables were the principal crops
grown by the early settlers. and con-
tinue to be the important crops. with
the addition OF tobacco. sorghum.
cowpeas peanuts. Tobacco rep
resents the main money crop OF the
area and some commercial fruit Is
! grown. Cattle production shows an
Increase over the earlier days. though
little attention is paid to maintain
Ing pure bred stock. nearly all OF
the animals found in the area being
! grades. Sheep are decreasing in num-
bers. but the figures for hogs show
q marked increase.
The agricultural practices differ
greatly over the area. In the larger
stream valleys crops are more or less
diversified and some truck il grown.
On the billy lane OF the northern TWO
thirds OF the area tobacco, hay and
fruits are grown and considerable
stock. Is kept. In the southern sec
hon tobacco and corn are the princi-
pal crops and only n few cattle are
kept on the farms
In summarizing the results OF the
survey. the report says in regard 70
b adaptation OF the different class
es of soils to crops:
The Meigs clay loan. the most
extensively developed type in the area
Is a good soil for tobacco. corn. wheat.
truit and grass Corn yields from Is
70 45 bushels per acre. wheat from 10
TO 20 bushels. timothy hay about I l-2
tons. n by fertilizing, from 1000 to
1,5OO pounds OF bright Burley tobacco
per acre IL obtained. Land OF this
type sells at from SO TO 500 per acre.
The Dekalb silt loan is especially
adapted to apples. tobacco and Irish
potatoes. although cor Yields from
10 to 40 bushels per acre and wheat
from Is to 1S bushels By heavy appli-
cations OF fertilizer. Irish potatoes
yield from 200 TO $50 bushels per acre.
and more attention should be given
TO this crop and larger areas planted.
mi type Is the best fruit soil in the
q and ranges in value from 500 10
$50 per acre.
The Dekalb stony silt loan is de
veloped 10 some extent in the southern
part OF the area. but for the most II
Il too steep and rocky for cultivation.
IL Is a good tobacco soil. and. where
cultivatable. corn yields from 10 10