The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-22
SOIL SURVEYS FOR
VI VA. COUNTIES
Federal Government Finds
What Crops Promise
Best Profits.

WASHINGTON, April % h
United States Department OF Agricul.
ture working with the West Virginia
Geological Survey. has recently com:
Ipleted a soil survey OF Mcdowell and
wyoming Counties, West Virginia.
This report makes reference TO the
fact that the development OF the coal
fields In Mcdowell county has lead TO
a decline in farming. AT present the
land suitable for agriculture consists
largely OF the flattish ridge tops. the
Ihillsides being too steep and rocky.
On the hiIltops and the few remaining
patches OF bottom lands many farmers
are profitably engaged in supplying
1.-The demands OF mining towns for
truck crops and fruits. General farm
ing and stock raising are engaged in
by only q few. Most Of the stock Is
I graZed upon the open range. small
Quantities OF grain and hay being led
during the winter.
IN Wyoming county the conditions
are different. The coal fields are not
SO extensively developed, and most of
ttlle bottom lands are given over TO
! general farming and stock raising. A
Ia Z acreage IL in pasture n the
open range affords good grazing. The
t distance from the markets Is usually
too great to permit Of commercial
trucking being profitable.
Corn has always been growing on an
acreage slightly larger Than that oc
! cupied by all other cultivated crops.
| On the uplands the yields range from
10 TO Is bushels per acre. and from 20
to % bushels IN good seasons On the
bottom lands the yields are much high
or. Sorghum is grown In nearly all
sections. Grasses do not thrive we'll
on the majority of the soils. Good
| bluegrass sod. however. can be obtain
cd by seeding. II the sod gives out
It is hest to reestablish II by using
the land for cultivated crops before
.ireseeding. The are s0wed TO clover
and timothy mixed for hay Is over
half as large as that sowea TO timothy
alone. The ordinary yield is slightly
less than one ton per acre. Cowpease
are grown to some extent for hay.
lLespedc.a grows luxuriantl% IN aban.
doned feds where the soil is not too
sandy or the drainage too peHr, and
gives some pasturage.
Tobacco could probably be made a
paying cop OH small farms. irish DO.
tatoes nre grown for the local markets
but. are not produced on an extensive
scale. The climatic conditions and
soils seem 10 be favorable to this In
dustry. however. and it might be made
one OF the best paying In the section.
The Yields Of sweet potatoes on the
sandy bottom lands are fair. but the
potatoes are not of the hest quality.
Beans. peas. cabbage, turnips, toma'
toes. onions. ~parsnips, kale. carrots.
spinach. radishes. squash and cucum.
bcrs are the vegetables which are
grown most extensively for local mar
kets. An early truck crop may be sue
ceedcd by corn.
There are few commercial apple or
ciards, but farm orchards, which are
we'll cared for. bring good returns.
Peach orchards also are rare, and
pears, nlums and grapes are not grown
on a commercial scale. A large num-
Der OF persons devote a great part OF
their time To gathering Wild medicinal
herbs and roots.
The raising of beef cattle Is more
important than any other form of an.
final hnsbandry. The sheep which
are used for mutton are mainly scrub
stock and little attention is paid to
pTeGllnSs tHlo 10 LIue w q 1Ci ~
extent OF hogs also. The Poland China
CROSSED with the native mountain hog
produces a type that is a good ranger
and can be fattened when confined.
Little attention is paid to the adap.
tation OF soils to crops. Leguminous
crops are not generally grown. al.
though cowpeas. soy beans and vetcl
would do we'll over most OF the area.
Sweet potatoes and peanuts. which
do well on the sandy bottom lands.
could be grown to advantage for fat
tentng hogs. The ridge soils arc. we'll
suited to Irish potatoes. Most Of the
soils OF the area are In need OF lime,
which is within easy reach.
No special form Of rotation is prac.
ticed. A rotation which has proved
successful in other counties with sim.
liar conditions is corn; oats followed
by cowpeas; wheat. timothy and clov'
'er: hay. two years: ~huckwheat. II
pasture is desired, blue grass may be
sowed with wheat following buck
wheat.
Twelve distinct soil types are found
in Wyoming and Mcdowell counties.