The Marietta journal. (Marietta, Ga.) 1918-1944, 1919-07-11

of drainage is often factor in deter
mining the agricultural value of a
soil type or series. In the survey of
ga counties in the state we have en-
countered some 275 soil types. The
differences in these types are due to
difference in the texture, structure,
drainage conditions and topography,
organic content, origin, mode of for
nation and kind of rock from which
they were formed and their chemical
composition. Many of these soils
are not of great agricultural value
at present though chemical analysis
show them to be the most fertile.
The reason they are not Of great
value so far as crop yields are con-
cerned is because of lack of proper
drainage. Some of these soils are
very fine textured clay or silt, COM
pact in structure and almost imper-
vious to water. Others are open
sandy soil on the surface, but under
lain by "hard pan" that complete
ly prevents natural drainage.
While the majority Of the lands
of the state needing drainage occur
as swamps, marshes, first bottoms
and second bottoms and are wet pri-
marily because of their topographic
position and lack of natural outlets,
there are many acres Of upland that
so far as surface features are con-
cerned should be we'll drained but
are much in need of drainage be-
cause of the impervious nature of
their subsoil or because they are sub
ject to seepage water from lands of
higher level.
In general the lands of the state
needing drainage may be divided into
four classes:
l. Those that are decided swamps,
or where water stands on or near the
surface of the soil for the greater
portion of the year. These lands
are located largely in the southern
portion of the state in that part
known as the Coastal Plain. Some
extensive areas, however, occur in
the northern portion of the state and
lie mainly along the water courses.
The peculiar method by which the
Coastal Plain was formed has re-
suited in extensive tracts that are
nearly level and with very deficient
natural outlets. The streams are
sluggish and natural drainage of the
surrounding lands is very slow and
wholly inadequate. Many of these
areas will require the establishing of
very extensive drainage districts to
obtain desired results.
2. Those uplands that are fiat or
nearly fiat with few surface streams
and have either heavy surface soils
OF subsoilS. These lands drain very
slowly when heavy rains occur, and
consequently retard the growth of
crops and increase the cost of hand
labor to destroy the weeds that grow
before cultivation can be begun.
These lands are found scattered
over many portions of the state in
both north and south Georgia, but
the largest areas occur within the
Coastal Plain.
3. Those areas in the rolling or
hill lands that lie at the base of slopes
and receive the surface and seep wa
ter from the uplands. This class is
found in both north and south Geor-
gia.
4. Those rolling and hi1sJ lands
that are especially found in the Pied
mont section of the state, that are
characterized by heavy impervious
subsoils and very often heavy sur
face soils. These lands have ample
surface drainage, but would be great
ly benefited by underdrains to open
up the subsoil, to make possible the
storage of more water for crop use
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