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The Soils of Orgoi

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The Soils of Orgoi a. 20,000 BULLETIN NO. 112 JANU.Y, 1912 DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY Oregon Agricultural Ccilie Experimentti ion Corvallis, Oregon THE SOILS OF ORGOI BY C. E. BRADLEY . Bulletins of this n are -rt ee.IJ to aU reIODI9t- JO .Io who rea _est tha Oregon Agricultural College Cor'allis. flregon 1Q12 HOARD OF REGEN1OF IDE OREGON AGRIII1iURAL COLLEGE AND EXPERIMENTIAIION. Hon J. K. Weatherford, President Albany, Oregon Hon. E. B. Wilson, Secretary Corvallis, Oregon Hon. B. F. Irvine, Treasurer Portland, Oregon Hon. Oawold West, Governor of the Slate Salem, Oregon Hon. Ben W. Olcott, Secretary of Stale Salem, Oregon Hon. L. R. Alderman, Stale Sufti. Public Znslruction Salem, Oregon Hon. Charles B. Spence, Master of Slate Grange- - -Canby, Oregon Hon. William W. Cotton Portland, Oregon Hon. Walter M. Pierce La Grande, Oregon Mrs. Clara H. Waldo Portland, Oregon Hon. J. T. Apperson Park Place, Oregon Hon. C. L. Hawley McCoy, Oregon Hon. H. Von der Hellen Wellen, Oregon OFFICERS OF THE STATION STAFF W. J. Kerr, D. Sc. President James Withycombe, M. Agr---------Animal Husbandry, Director A. B. Cordley, M. S. Entomologist C. I. Lewis, M. S. A. Horticulturist H. D. Scudder, B. S. Agronomist F. L. Kent, B. Agr. Dairy Husbandman H. S. Jackson, A. B. Botanist and Plant Pathologist T. D. Beckwith, M. S Bacteriologist James Dryden Poultry Husbandman H. V. Tartar, B. S. Acting Chemist Helen L. Holgate Station Clerk INTRODUCTION. It Is the purpose of this bulletin to present the results of the work of this department on the soils of Oregon extending over a period of several years, and embodying analyses of a number of representative soils from various patts of the state. Owing to the fact that our agricultural lands are settling up rap- idly with people from other parts of the country who are naturally unfamiliar with conditions and desire assistance In selection of farms a great demand is comng to the Station for information as to the adaptability and comparative value of our soils.It is hoped that the present bulletin will serve in a measure to give informaticn meeting these demands. It is planned to present the chemical work of this bulletin under two heads; Part I dealing with the more practical side of the question and containing the results of analyses of various soil types, arranged according to counties, and Part II embodying the results of the more technical investigations on this subject. PART I. TUE SOILS OP OREGON. IL TYPES. By virtue of great variation in geological formation and peculiar geographical conditions and the resultant marked climatic differences which they determine the soils of Oregon present extreme variations and the number of soil types here distinguished is large.The soils grade from the rich black barns of the coastal plains and lower river courses of Western Oregon to the extremely sandy soils of the Eastern and the coarse granitic soils of the Southern portion of the State, with many intermediate types.Volcanic rocks predominate in the North- west and Oregon soils are largely derived from weathered basalt, diabase, and diorite, particularly in the Eastern and Western part of the State.In Southern Oregon granites, limestones and other meta- morphic rock exist also and have therefore determined in part the min- eral character of the soils of this section.Where the weathering pro- cess has taken place under humid conditions, as in Western Oregon, clay barns, rich in humus, have been formed, while under the climatic influences of the arid or semi-arid conditions of that portion of the State east of the Cascade range, a sandy soil has resulted. The general soil types of the State may be distinguished as follows: Western Oregon Willamette Valley clay barns. Red hill soil of foothills. Beaverdam or muck soils. Sandy barns of river bottoms. Black barns of coastal plains. Eastern Oregon Clay barns of valleys. Sandy. Silt loams. Volcanic ash. Southern Oregon Clay or adobe soils. Clay barns. Granitic. VALUE OP CEEMICAL ANALYSIS IN JUDGING SOILS. The value of soil analysis as a means of judging a soil's product- iveness or discovering the cause of its unproductiveness, as the case may be, has long been questioned.The very fact that certain physical conditions, such as temperature, water supply and the texture of the soil itself, are well-known factors in determining a soil's productiveness, 5 marked influences whichcertain bacterta have to say nothing of the outset prevent our been shown to exert on thelife of a plant will at the analysis alone.Supplemented by proper judging a soil by chemical studies of our physical exainatiofl we believe,however, that chemical continue to be of greatassistance in improving soils have been and will agriculture their productiveness and animportant factor in placing our on a permanent basis. METHODS OF JUDGING SOILS. natural growth sustained by asoil is a very The character of the As important thing to note inconsidering its agriculturalvalue. healthy growth of forest treesis indicative ofgood soil, a rule a strong The immense while stunted trees are mostoften found on thinsoil. has required a deep,rich soil for growth of fir in the Northwest to be found Its maintenance and goolagricultural land is in general this region. in the logged-off lands cf learne4 by AdaptabilitY of soi'to certain crops is ofcourse only for evample, thatthe Willamette experience.By experi nce we know, grain, hay, fruit and clay loam is particulax1Yadapted to production of sandy loams are morevaluable for truck- forage crops, while the light of these soils have ing and small fruits.The physical characteristics great influence in determiningthis adaptability. tle soils have neverbeen "tested" Obviously In a new country where and content of cer- it is of interest to learntheir chemical character experience to be of valueto plants in order tain elements known by been obtained that comparisons may be madewith such results as have districts known by experiencealso to be or not tobe on soils of older new country abundance productive.Furthermore, in a comparatively by the plow is at handwhose productiveness of virgin soil untouched well as standards Is known and results ofexamination of which serve productive long cultivatedsoil. of comparison with the less give the Experimental tests carried out onthe soil i-n question adaptabilitY.It is of courseobviously most valuable lnformaiou on experimentally him- impossible for each farmer towork out this thing adaptability of soils andwhat they self but valuable suggestions on of the crops will best produce can often beobtained as well by a study on neighboring farmsof similar soils. will reveal the fact ifit Is not prop- Physical examination of a soil of erly drained and achemical test will usuallyshow the presence Excessive amounts ofalkali or other injurious acids In such a sample. plant food will be Injurious salts, as well asmarked deficiency of also so that propercorrection easily Identified by chemical means type of a soil, itsdepth, can be advised.In. general, however, the drainage, its elevationand exposure water supply, the character of Its adaptability as does Its have at least as Importantbearing on the soil's chemical composition. 6 IMPORTANCE OF PROPER SAMPLING. Whether a soil is to be tested by chemicalor physical means or judged "by the looks," sampling Is of thegreatest importance.It Is well known that most soils vary greatly in compositionwith varying depths.The surface contains more humus and is consequentlyricher in nitrogen while the subsoil is often heavierand more compact by virtue of this lack of organic matter.A clod picked at random from a field is of very little value in judging the character of the soil which itis supposed to represent.Samples should evidently be taken at successive depths to give a proper idea of the soiland this is very es- eutial providing the depth of the soil is questionable.In considering the growth of tree fruits and other deep-rootedcrops a deep soil is the first requisite and purchasers of landshould always satisfy them- selves that at least three to four feet of soilcan be found in the tract in view if they wish to provide against future failure. In Western Oregon shallow soilsare found chiefly on the southern exposure of the foothills where maximum erosion has taken placeand these localities should always be sampledcarefully before making plantings there. A white shale, called locally "soapstone,"is an indica- tion of thin soil and where outcrops of thisformation are seen the soil is usually unproductive.If this shale is loose and well decomposed tree roots penetrate it and donot suffer ill effects.Where it is in the nature of a hardpan it Is Impervious towater and consequently cuts off the plant's supply of moistureby preventing the rise of capillary water during the dry season. DIRECTIONS FOR SOIL SAMPLING. The following directions have beenprepared and are furnished those desiring soils tested, it being obvioussince soils vary greatly ac- cording to depth that the exactmanner in which a soil sample has been taken must be known beforeresults obtained on testing it are of value in judging it by comparison withother samples of known pro- ductiveness. 1stTake samples from an open fieldand avoid paths, gopher holes, etc., from which modifiedand not typical samples are likely to be obtained. 2nd.Select a spot, pull up plants growingon It, brush aside half decayed vegetable matter and boreor dig a vertical hole to where the soil changes tint, or, if no changeis seen, to the depth of cultiva- tion.Get a sample from the surfaceto this depth from several places in the field, mix well on clothor coarse paper (avoid jute bagging) dry, put a quat in a clean,canvas bag or box and label.This repre- sents the SURFACE soil.
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