Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1916-01-08


these properties. Clay soils are usual
ly rich in available mineral and plant
food, because they contain the most
finely pulyerized and most highly de-
composed portion Of the other minerals.
Orepon contains three chief types of
soils, with their attendant variations,
and few special local varieties. The
first class Of soils to which ! wish to
call vour attention is the Silt-Loams.
This is the most widespred and most
important soil class The silt loans are
found in large areas in practically ev-
cry cOunty in the state. For total pro-
duction; for adoption to the widest va
riety of crops; for natural fertility and
for most other desirable farming quail
tiles, this class of soils is the most val
liable in Oregon. While the silt loans
vary in composition in different parts
of the state, their important qualities
remain fairly constant. They are uni
versally of high plant food content
particularly in total potassium and
phosphorus, yet their greatest claim ia
productiveness is their physical char
acter The average Oregon silt loans
are a happy medium between the sandy
loan ON the one hand and the clay loan
on the other, having the bad qualities
of neither and the GOOD qualities OF
both Often called ''volcanic ash
soils, particularly in eastern Oregon
because of their origin and uniformly
fine, powdery texture, they are derived
largely from the volcanic basalt, a fine
grained dark gray rock high in the
mineral pan food elements. The
weathered products of this rock, alluv
tally deposited and mixed with organic
matter in greater or less degree, ac
cording to the precipitation of the re
gion, form the soil cover of the great
valley floors of Western Oregon, the
rolling plateau lands of the Columbia
basin, and of the inter mountain val
leys Of eastern Oregon.
AS their name implies, the chief com
ponent of the soils of this class is silt
which is intermediate i'll texture or size
of particles between the clay component
on the one hand and the finest grade
Of sand on the other. Analyses of many
samples of Oregon silt loans show theil
general composition to be roughly from
fifteen to thirty per cent clay, fifty tC
seventy per cent silt, and six to ter
per cent sand.
As stated, they are very uniformly
fine grained powdery soil, having the
desirable qualities of clay for the re
tention of moisture and plant foods ant
large surface area Tor the breaking
down of plant foods thropkh chemica
and bacterial activities and for feeding
plant roots, but because of the relative
! ly small amount of the clay component
contained as compared with the amoun
of silt, these soils drain quickly, warn
up and become mellow earlier an(
! handle more easily through longel
working and growing season than thu
clay loan type. The cold slowness
pudding, clodding, baking and crack
ing qualities common to clay soils ar,
absent. On the other hand, they con
tain little sand and do not dry out dur
ling drouth or leach of plant foods a
do the sandy loans, except in spots
Physically this class of soil require
for its maintenance in the highest stat
of fertility additions Of (D humu
forming material through good rota
tions and (2) ample cultivation. T
both, extra humus additions and OK
ira tillage, silt loans respond quick
ly and generously
In western Oregon in the vale,
floors of the Willamette and Umpqu
rivers and their tributaries the loan
is of grey character, in spots al
most changing to a clay.loam, fine i
texture and very fertile if handle,
rightly; while along the coast and tn
costal rivers, it is much darker in col
or. In this same region, in the foot
hills. the loan assumes dark red color
which becomes Of n lighter hue as yo
ascend to the higher hills, most of thi
color being due to the iron present i
the original rock. We have also in thi
valley what Is known as the White Sill
Loan, a loan Of very light color an
useless. This condition is caused b
lack of drainage and the land become
what is called "water.logged.D TIL
plant food and humus has been leache
out Of the soil and il is under water $
much Of the time that the atmospher
agencies cannot cause decomposition I
supply the needs of plant food. Goo
drainage and plenty of humus, wit
some commercial fertilizer would d
wonders for such land.
In eastern Oregon in the valley
of the Dcschutes, John Day, Umatills
Wallowa, Grahde Ronde rivers, we fin
good deal Of the dark silt loamj /
many places extending away back int
the narrow mountain valleys, while tn
hill land in the. northern part of tn
state east Of the mountains consist
largely Of this type Of soil, being ligh
color or red silt loan.
| Most Of the "dry farming" In cas-
ern Oregon is done on silt loan soil, b,
cause Of its remarkable powet for moi
ture retention, ease Of tillage and avai
ability Of plant food
The second class Of soils to which
wish to direct your attention is til
sandy loan type.
This type covers n considerable are
in the state, in all chseA lying immed
ately adjacent to present or formt
water bodies. The low bluff lands In
medately on the coast; the flood plain
of the rivers throughout the state; ol