The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
SOIL SURVEY OF DICKENS COUNTY, TEXAS 505
considerable run-off water to the depressed areas. Therefore, the
crops on this phase do remarkably well in dry seasons.
The land is utilized on many farms, and probably half of it is
in cultivation. Where not cultivated it supports a growth of small
shin oak trees and a very heavy growth of sagebrush (Artemisia flifolia).
The grasses are the coarse grasses found growing on the
rolling phase of the Miles fine sandy loam. The crops grown are
cotton, grain sorghums, corn, and sorgo. The yields are usually
good, even in dry seasons. The surface soil is very loose and where
unprotected drifts in heavy winds.
MILES CLAY LOAM
The Miles clay loam has three and sometimes four layers within
the 3-foot section. The surface soil is a dark purplish red or dark
reddish brown clay loam from 3 to 6 inches deep. The subsurface
layer is a dark purplish red, rather heavy clay, which is sticky when
wet and very hard when dry. The third or subsoil layer, beginning
at depths of about 18 to 25 inches, is a purplish-red, calcareous clay,
often containing small chert and quartz gravel. The lower subsoil
is slightly lighter colored than the upper. It normally extends to
depths of 30 to 36 inches and locally to 4 or 5 feet. It is underlain
by pinkish-gray, soft, limy material that with depth tends toward
white. In places the immediate surface soil is a sandy clay loam.
The lower subsoil is commonly calcareous; the upper is not. The surface
soil dries and bakes to a hard condition, but has what may be
styled fragmental structure, the fragments being easily broken apart.
The color and gravel content of the subsoil of the Miles clay loam,
together with its position, would seem to indicate that the parent
material represents outwash from near-by areas of the Indian-red
rocks of the region.
The Miles clay loam is an extensive soil type, occurring in a number
of areas in the southern and central parts of the county. It has
a flat to very gently sloping surface and fairly good drainage. The
subsoil holds moisture well and is penetrable. Crops on this type
resist dry weather conditions well, much better than on the Vernon
clay loam.
The Miles clay loam is an important soil type, and probably more
than half of it is in cultivation. Uncultivated areas support a heavy
growth of grasses indigenous to the region. Some small mesquite
trees grow on the type and a few scattering chaparral bushes. The
grasses are mainly buffalo grass, mesquite grass, some grama grasses,
and needle grasses. The vegetation is quite similar to that on the
Vernon clay loam. Mesquite grass (Hilaria jame.sii) and buffalo
grass are very abundant. The needle grasses do not flourish as on
the
Vernon clay loam. Broomweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) is
abundant in places.
The crops grown are the usual general farm crops of the regioncotton,
grain sorghums, and sorgo. Cotton yields one-third to onehalf
bale per acre on the average and milo 25 to 40 bushels per acre.
Sorgo yields 4 to 6 tons of forage per acre. The yields vary greatly,
according to the amount of rainfall. If this is light the yields may
be somewhat lower, while if abundant the yields are much higher.
Wheat and oats give good returns when the climatic conditions are