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The Relation of Soil Character, as Expressed by Certain Soil Types, to the Choice of Land for Alfalfa and Bright Tobacco in the Piedmont Region of North Carolina
Author(s) -
Williams C. B.
Publication year - 1936
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1936.036159950b1720010021x
Subject(s) - character (mathematics) , citation , relation (database) , south carolina , agricultural experiment station , agriculture , agricultural economics , agronomy , geography , mathematics , archaeology , library science , computer science , political science , biology , economics , database , geometry , public administration
It has been recognized for some time by agronomy research workers and others that each agricultural soil type not only has Its strong and weak points with reference to its plant nutrient resources, but that each, as shown by a preponderance of field evidence, possesses certain characteristics which make it particularly well suited for the growth of certain crops and not all for others having entirely different soil requirements. A knowledge of these differences In crop adaptation becomes of the greatest economic importance in the selection and growth only of those crops so far as feasible, which are best adapted to the type or types of soil occurring on each farm and which will after growth best meet the needs of the present type of farming or the type which should be used on the farm. For instance, if a soil type of the farm is particularly well suited for the growth of early truck crops, climatic factors and transportation and market facilities being favorable, such a soil should be given over largely to the production of this class of crops and not be devoted to the growth of unadapted forage crops for the extensive production of dairy cattle for supplying creamery milk or, in an extensive way, to other unadapted crops. On the other hand, if the soil type is of such a nature as to be well suited for the heavy and economic production of forage crops then it had likely best be used, certainly largely, for this purpose and the type of farming practised might well be, if market demands and other economic favors are favorable, dairying or some other type of livestock growing or some other suitable type of farming rather than attempting to grow early truck crops which would usually be found wholly unsuited for growth on this particular type of soil. These observations appear to be significant in pointing the way for a safe and sound plan for promoting the growth of specially adapted crops to the soils of any farm and for establishing untried types of farming on it, the greatest success of which will under proper management depend upon the successful growth of these adapted crops. Especially is this true of those crops which appear to be rather exacting in their soil'requirements such as alfalfa and bright tobacco which are the crops under special consideration at this time. In the main, a list of the Piedmont soil types, which it has been found are particularly well suited for the production of each of these crops, has been grouped and an attempt will be made in each case to find an explanation, from all available information, for these special crop adaptations of the soils of each group.