The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-09
RALEIGH COUNTY
SURVEY OF SOIL


organic matter. which should be sup
piled either by stable manure or by
growing and occasionally blowing
under leguminous crops. Lime and
ground limestone In moderately lib
eral APPLICATIONS are beneficial. A
considerable acreage on this type is
in blue grass pasture. This soil also
seems to be the best in the county
for fruits. 1t is naturally a moder-
ately strong soil and good yields are
, obtained by proper treatment, partic-
ularly by maintaining good supply
Of humus. ~
The Dekalb stony loan is not very
valuable from an agricultural stand
point. A part OF 1t Ii used for graz
ing. but most OF 1t is In open range.
II has about the same agricultural
possibilities as the stony loan which
Is extensively developed In the west
ern half OF the county scattered areas
In other sections. Much of this land
can be used for pasture. but erosion
Is likely TO take place after the vege-
tation Is cleared from open areas.
Every effort should therefore be
made to keep up a good sod. Some
OF the type could be used for tobacco.
as there is a crop In which hand
cultivation plays an important part.
The crop is successful on the tyne
In other parts OF the state. On the
other hand. such crops as wheat,
buckwheat. oats and hay can not be
successfully grown on account OF the
dihiculty In harvesting.
The second OF the soil series found
on the uplands Of the county Is the
Upshur. These have reddish brown
to red or Indian red surfaces and
red to Indian red subsoils. In
Raleigh county two types are found
the clay loan and the stony clay
loan.
The clay loan is developed to a
small extent along the edge of the
upper slopes OF New river gorge. 1t
was the first hill land to be cleared
and farmed in this section of the
country and much OF 1t now is i'm
poverished. 1t can be built UP, how
ever. and made to produce good
yields by growing leguminous crops,
turning under crops. and lining.
Clover and vetch do well on II.
Cowpeas and soy beans will also
grow, but they do not seem to be
SO well adapted to the conditions.
Lime Is beneficial. but there seems to
be some doubt whether or not the
use OF fertilizers would pay except
perhaps in the case OF phospatic
material. Naturally the Upshur clay
loan Is the strongest upland soil in
the county. For its proper cultiva-
tion 1t requires strong Implements
and heavy teams. II plowed In n
wet condition 1t bakes in subsequent
dry weather and clods when plowed
again. 1t remains cold and wet far
Into the spring and thus retards
blowing. Late fall blowing Is bene-
ficial.> -
The Upshur stony clay loan is
mostly in pasture with an occasional
patch to corn. Corn does we'll, but
It Is hard to cultivate on account of
the stones. Much OF the type would
be successfully used for grazing
sheep and goats. and grazing and
forestry are perhaps the best uses to
which 1t can be put.
On the old alluvial terraces repre-
senting the level OF the old flood
plains OF the streams, two types of
the Holston series are found-the
fine sandy loan and the silt loan.
These are yellowish brown to brown
on the surface with yellow subsoils.
Holston Fine Sandy Loan.
The Holston fine sandy loan &C.
ours along the lower part of Coal
river. Much Of the type lies above
normal overflow and has good drain
age. The principal crops are corn.
oats. rye. sorgum and hay. Small
patches OF vegetables are also grown.
Very little of the type is in i'm
proved. fenced pasture, and much of
1t Is used as an open range. Brier
berries and strawberries would prob
ably make good Yields. but are not
grown to any considerable extent.
The soil is easily cultivated and re-
spends readily to fertilizers, stable
manure, or green manure. Legumin-
Gus crops, such as cowpeas, yetch.
and soy beans, are better for a hay
crop than the grasses. 1t is doubtful
IL lining would pay in general.
though light application might prove
profitable where green vegetation Is
plowed under in large amounts, II
properly fortified. Burley tobacco of
a good grade can be, grown. Upon
the same soil type elsewhere in the
state about 600 or 500 pounds of
truckers fertilizer has been used
successfully for tobacco.
The. silt loan is extensive, being
confined to one area along New river.
This soil appears to be deficient in
organic matter. In other areas the
use OF commercial fertilizers has
proved beneficial. Lime also will do
good where clover fails to make a
stand. Where the soil is well sun
piled with humus, one ton of lime or
two tons per acre OF ground lime
stone probably would be about the
proper amount to apply.
On the first bottoms, which arc
still subject to overtlows, are the
Huntington series and the Holly
series. The Huntington soils are
light brown to brown with yellow to
light brown subsoils. Two types, the
silt loan and the flne sandy loan.
are found in Raleigh county. The
silt loan. which occurs along the
headwaters Of Clear Fork OF Coal
river and along Sandlick creek, ia
one OF the most valuable soil types
In the county. 1t produces excellent
yields Of sorgum. corn, hay and yepe-
tables. Wheat. oats. and buckwheat.
on the other hand. have a strong
tendency to lodge. Vegetables pro-