alleghanyNC1917

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
BUREAU OF SOILS—MILTON WHITNEY, Chief.
IN COOPERATION WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
W. A. GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER; B. W. ICILGORE, STATE CHEMIST AND
DIRECTOR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION;
C. B. WILLIAMS, AGRONOMIST.
SOIL SURVEY OF ALL E GHANY COUNTY,
NORTII CAROLINA.
BY
R. T. AVON BURKE, OF THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
IN CHARGE, AND H. D. LAMBERT, OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
W. ED`VARD I3EARN, INSPECTOR, SOUTHERN Dlvisim
[Advance Sheets —Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, 1915.1
WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1917.

BUREAU OF SOILS.
MILTON WHITNEY, Chief of Bureau.
ALBERT G. RICE, Chief Clerk.
SOIL SURVEY.
CiURTIS F. MARBUT, In Charge.
G. W. BAUMANN, Executive Assistant.
COMMITTEE ON THE CORRELATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOILS.
CURTIS F. MARBUT, Chairman.
HUGH H. BENNETT, Inspector, Southern Division.
W. EDWARD HEARN, Inspector, Southern Division.
THOMAS D. RICE, Inspector, Northern Division.
W. E. MCLENDON, Inspector, Northern Division.
MACY H. LAPHAM., Inspector, Western Division.
J. W. McKzuCHEB, Secretary.

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
BUREAU OF SOILS—MILTON WHITNEY, Chief.
IN COOPERATION WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
W. A. GRAHAM, COMMISSIONER; B. W. KILGORE, STATE CHEMIST AND
DIRECTOR AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION;
C. B. WILLIAMS, AGRONOMIST.
SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGRANY COUNTY,
NOR-1 TffCAROLINA.
BY
R. T. AVON BURKE, OF THE U..S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
IN CHARGE, AND H. D. LAMBERT, OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
W. EDWARD HEARN, INSPECTOR, SOUTHERN DIVISION.
[Advance Sheets —Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, 1915.]
WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1917.

LETTER OF TRANSN-11"fTAL.
U. S. DEPARTDIENT Or AGRICULTURE,
BUREAU OF SOILS,
Waskington, D. C., I•uly i, 1916.
SIR: Under the cooperative agreement with the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture a soil survey of Alleghany County was
completed during the field season of 1915.
The accompanying report and map cover this sul vey and are sub-
mitted for publication as advance sheets of Field Operations of the
Bureau of Soils for 1915, as authorized by law.
Very respectfully,
MILTON AVIIITNEY,
Chief of Bureau.
Hon. D. F. HOUSTON,
Secretary of Agriculture.
2

CONTENTS.
Paco.
SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. BY R. T. AVON
BURKE, OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, IN CHARGE,
AND H. D. LAMBERT, OF THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 5
Description of the area ................................................ 5
Climate. 7
Agriculture ...........................................................
8
Soils.................................................................. 13
Ashe very coarse sanely loam ....................................... 15
Ashe loam -------------- 16
Chandler loam...... 18
Porters loam ...................................................... 19
Talladega loam _------------ .................................... 21
Toxawayloam ..................................................... 23
Rough stony land ............................... •-•--•---•••------ 24
Rock outcrop -------------------•--- --------------------- 25
Summary--------------------------------------------------------------- 25
ILLUSTRATIONS.
FIGURE.
FIG. 1. Sketch map showing location of the Alleghanv County area, North Car -
Page.
olina
MAP.
Soil map, Alleghany County sheet, North Carolina.

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.
By R. T. AVON BURKE, of the United States Department of Agriculture,
In Charge, and H. D. LAMBERT, of the North Carolina Department of
Agriculture. —Area Inspected by W. EDWARD HEARN.
DESCRIPTION OF THE AREA.
Alleghany County lies in the northwestern part of North Caro-
lina, bordering the Virginia State line. It is bounded on the north
by Grayson County, Va.; on the east by Surry County, N. C.; on the
south by Wilkes County; and on the west by Ashe County. The
county is irregular in outline. Its greatest length, about 24 miles,
is east and west along the Virginia boundary, and its greatest width,
about 13 miles. The county comprises an area of 209 square miles,
or 133,760 acres.
Alleghany County lies in the Appalachian Mountain and Plateau
Province. Its southern and eastern bound-
aries follow the crest of the Blue Ridge
Mountains. Physiographically, the area
represents a high plateau which has been
dissected and eroded by streams. The to-
pography is hilly to mountainous. Most
of the country consists of rounded moun- Fiu. I. —sketch map showing
tain knobs and ridges which are prevail- location ofa the Allegheny
County area, North Carolina.
ingly smooth in surface, although the
slopes may be comparatively steep. The intervening valleys are
narrow.
The Blue Ridge, lying in the southern and southeastern parts of the
county, is the most extensive mountain chain. The surface is gener-
ally smooth on the west and north and rougher on the east and
southeast slopes. On the south the topography is rough and broken,
the land consisting of rocky walls and steep valley slopes, especially
near the headwaters of Roaring River. The altitude of the Blue
Ridge is greatest in the south-central and southwestern parts of the
county, where certain peaks attain a height of 4,000 feet above sea
level. The elevations decrease toward the east and northeast to ap-
proximately 3,200 feet. One of the most important and most con-
spicuous outliers of the Blue Ridge, occupying a position to the
north and east, is the elevation known as Bullhead Mountain, which
reaches 3,800 feet above sea level. Another important outlier, Stone

6 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
Mountain, occurs on the south side of the Blue Ridge chain. This is
a conspicuous peak of granite rising 2,500 feet above sea level.
The next most important mountain chain, known as the Peach
Bottom Mountains, extends from north of Laurelsprings in a north-
easterly direction toward the Virginia State line. It includes peaks
that attain an elevation of 4,200 feet. A smoother ridge, known as
Bakers Ridge, in the northwestern part of the county, has an aver-
age elevation of about 3,500 feet above sea level. With the excep-
tion of the mountain ridges mentioned, the general elevation of the
county ranges from 2,500 to 3,000 feet above sea level. The streams
have trenched their valleys deeply, from 100 to 600 feet below the
general upland level. Bordering the streams in many places are
narrow strips of comparatively flat land. These are flanked by
smooth, gentle slopes which become steeper as the elevation increases.
The general slope of the county is toward the north and northeast.
The drainage is effected chiefly by the New River and its tributaries.
The New River forms the boundary of the county in the western
part. The most important tributaries of the New River are its South
Fork, Piney Creek, Potato Creek, Elk Creek, Rock Creek, and Little
River. These streams and their branches are actively deepening
their channels and cutting still farther back into th-e uplands. The
drainage of the extreme southwestern part of the county is into the
Roaring River. The headwaters of Mitchell River drain the extreme
southeastern part.
The various creeks and branches extend to all parts of the county
and afford good drainage outlets for every farm. The sources of
many of the streams are mountain -side springs, which furnish the
water supply of many of the farms. The run-off finds its way
quickly to the streams, which rise and fall rapidly. All the streams
flow swiftly and along the larger, watercourses there are numerous
rapids where much power could be developed, and the power avail-
able in some of the smaller streams could be used to a considerably
greater extent than at present.
Alleghany County was established in 1858-59 and the boundaries
have not been changed since that time, except along the Wilkes
County line. The early settlers were chiefly of English, Scotch -Irish,
and French descent.
The population of Alleghany County, as reported by the census
of 1910; is 7,745, all classed as rural. Settlement is in general rather
uniform over the county, and averages 33 persons to the square
mile. Over 95 per cent of the population consists of native whites
and 4.4 per cent is negro.
There are a number of small villages scattered through the county.
The largest towns are Sparta, the county seat, with a population of
199; Piney Creek, Ennice, and Laurelsprings.

SOIL SURVEY OF ALI GHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 7
Alleghany County lacks railroad facilities. There is no railroad
line reaching the county and produce and freight are hauled to and
from Galax, Va., 21 miles from Sparta, or to Doughton, N. C., 171
miles distant. Construction work has been partly completed on an
extension of the Elkin & Alleghany Railroad from Doughton to
Sparta.
Alleghany County has a large number of public wagon roads.
Most of these follow the watercourses. Few of the roads are prop-
erly maintained and no permanent improvement work has been
done. The roads are said to be almost impassable during the winter.
There is only one steel bridge within the county limits and after
heavy rains it is not uncommon for travel to be delayed 12 to 24 hours
by floods in the larger streams.
Telephone service is available in all parts of the county. Churches
and schoolhouses are established in convenient locations. The far-
mers are served by rural delivery of mail. Star mail routes serve
farmers living along the line of travel, and in addition carry pouch
mail from station to station.
Galax, Va., the terminus of the Norfolk & Western Railway, is
the most important market and shipping point for Alleghany
County, although considerable freight is handled through Dough -
ton, N. C. Most of the cattle, sheep, and turkeys sold are driven to
Galax. The cattle are generally shipped as feeders to points in
Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. Galax is the chief distribut-
ing point for the vegetable product known as galax leaves, which
grow so abundantly in this region, as well as for ginseng and other
roots and herbs. Tanbark is hauled to both Galax and Doughton
and shipped to various near -by tanyards.
CLIMATE.
Alleghany County has a climate that favors the prevailing types
of agriculture, viz, stock raising and general farming. The winter
months are cold and little farm work can be done between December
and April, but the summer months are cool and pleasant. The rain-
fall is abundant and well distributed. There is usually quite a heavy
snowfall, although in some winters the fall is light. Some of the
highest mountains are snow covered during much of the winter sea-
son. A large part of the winter precipitation is in the form of rain
or sleet, and heavy fogs are frequent along the rivers and the slopes
of the Blue Ridge.
There is no Weather Bureau station in Alleghany County, and the
nearest station in a region of similar characteristics, is at Linville,
about 75 miles southwest of Sparta. The records compiled at this
station probably represent, in a general way, the climatic conditions

8 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
in Alleghany County. Differences in climate even within Alleghany
County may be expected from place to place with differences in
elevation and topographic situation.
The average date of the last killing frost in the spring is about
April 1 and that of the first in the fall about October 1. The normal
growing season is thus about 180 days in length. Occasionally such
crops as corn, sorghum, and pumpkins are injured by frost.
The water supply of Alleghany County is good. There are springs
in all parts of the mountain areas and the quality of the water is
excellent.
The following table, compiled from the records of the Weather
Bureau station at Linville, in Avery County, gives the normal
monthly, seasonal, and annual temperature and precipitation:
Normal monthly, seasonal, and annual temperature and precipitation at
Linville, Avery County.
Temperature.
Precipitation.
Month.
Mean'
Absolute
maximum.
Absolute
minimum.
Mew'
Total
amount for
the driest
YOU.
Total
amount for
the wettest
year.
snow,
average
depth.
°F.
F.
Inches.
Inches.
Inches.
Inches.
December ..............
32
60
- 7
5.7
3.9
3.4
5.4
Tannery ................
31
61
-15
3.4
1.7
4.4
5.4
February ...............
30
63
-15
5.3
8.9
0.9
7.0
Whiter ...........
31
63
-15
( 14.4
14.5
8.7
17.8
40
75
- 4
6.1
3.9
3.7
3.6
Match ..................
April ..................
46
79
15
1.6
2.3
3.0
2.0
May ....................
58
83
26
3.7
4.2
2.6
..........
Spring ............
48
83
- 4
14.4
10.4
9.3
5.6
Tune....................I
63
83
33
5.3
7.5
4.6
..........
July ....................:
66
89
33
6.1
3.7
9.3
..........
August .................
65
85
38
5.2
3.0
8.5
..........
Summer ..........
65
89
33
16.6
I 14.2
22.4
..........
September ..............
59
82
27
5.6
7.1
9.6
..........
October ................
49
74
14
5.3
3.9
18.5
0.2
November ..............
40
67
0
3.9
3.6
2.5
1.2
Fall ..............
49
82
0
14.8
14.6
30.6
1.4
Year ..............
48
I 89
-15
60.2
I 53.7
r=1.0
24.8
AGRICULTURE.
A few settlers came to Alleghany County before the Revolutionary
War, and made their homes in the western part of the county. No
permanent settlement was made in the eastern half until many years

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 9
later, when people from neighboring counties and from the central
part of the State settled in the Glade Creek country.
The early settlers, handicapped by the lack of equipment, did little
farming. They cleared small fields and produced merely enough
wheat, rye, buckwheat, corn, flax, and vegetables to supply their
immediate needs. The virgin soils were productive and good yields
were obtained, even with the superficial methods of tillage employed.
In addition to work stock, the early settlers brought with them
a few head of cattle, sheep, and hogs, and produced enough beef,
mutton, and pork to meet the home demands. Owing to the isola-
tion of the county, there was at first no commercial exchange of
products. Hides were tanned and made into shoes, harness, and
other necessities, and wool and flax were converted into cloth on
the farm.
Originally there were extensive forests in the county, the growth
consisting largely of chestnut, oak, walnut, poplar, beech, elm, and
maple. Spruce pine is said to have been very abundant in the
western part of the county along some of the watercourses. Laurel,
rhododendron, and turkey -pea vines formed a thick undergrowth
throughout the uplands. As the cleared land declined in productive-
ness with uninterrupted cropping, patches of fresh land were brought
into cultivation and grass took possession of the abandoned fields.
The marked adaptation of the soils to grass and small -grain crops
was soon recognized and the live -stock industry was developed at an
early date. The number of cattle, sheep, and hogs, especially of hogs,
increased rapidly. The stock for market was driven to Winston,
Salisbury, Statesville, Raleigh, and other points in the eastern part
of the State. Wytheville and Marion, Va., were points of exchange
for such products as tallow, hides, butter, and cheese. The same
economic conditions prevailed as late as the census year 1880, when
the population of the county had increased to 5,486. The 1880_
census reports 7,201 acres in corn, 5,006 acres in hay, 3,121 acres in
rye, 1,933 acres in oats, 1,760 acres in wheat, and 755 acres in buck-
wheat. The production of apples, cherries, peaches, plums, and nuts
reached a value of $5,114 in 1880. At this time there were 2,287
milch cows, 3,459 other cattle, 1,542 horses and mules, 7,522 hogs,
and 6,738 sheep in the county.
By 1890 marketing conditions were somewhat changed. The rail-
road line now forming part of the Southern Railway was extended
to North Wilkesboro. The nearest point on this line wa'9 33 miles
from the county seat, but nevertheless its construction meant much
to the farmers. It did away with the necessity of driving live stock
to points in the eastern part of the State. By 1890 the area in hay
had increased to 12,679 acres and that in corn to 9,188 acres. Oats
occupied 3,858 acres, and wheat 2438 acres. The land in rye was
53 711 °-17-1.

10 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
reduced, on the other hand, to 2,921 acres and that in buckwheat to
186 acres. The number of milch cows had increased to 3,090, that of
other cattle to 6,124, horses and mules to 1,991, and sheep to 8,937,
while the number of hogs had decreased to 7,022.
In the census year 1900 the population was 7,759. Ninety-six per
cent of the total area of the county was then in farms, and 58.5 per
cent of the farm land was improved. Hay was still the leading
crop, occupying 10 per cent of all the improved farm land, or 9,315
acres. Corn, the second crop in acreage, occupied 8,895 acres, and
oats 3,680 acres. The other crops maintained the same relative
importance they held 10 years previously, with the exception of
buckwheat. This cereal occupied 2,016 acres in the 1900 census year,
ranking as the fourth crop in point of acreage. Wheat was reduced
to 1,324 acres. The census of 1900 showed small decreases in the
number of cattle and hogs and increases in the number of horses,
mules, and sheep.
Within the period 1903-1905 the Norfolk & Western Railway
extended its line to Galax, Va. This made the nearest shipping
point for live stock and other farm products only 21 miles distant
from Sparta, and the construction of this line has been an important
factor in the development of the county.
The population of Alleghany County remained practically sta-
tionary between 1900 and 1910, but the 1910 census shows a gain of
13 per cent over 1900 in the total acreage of improved land, and an
increase in the number of farms. The census reports the entire area
of the county as being in farms and 63.8 per cent of the land as
improved.
The agriculture of Alleghany County at the present time consists
of the production of hay, corn, and buckwheat and the raising of
beef cattle.
Hay occupies a larger acreage than any other crop. The 1910
census shows 11,132 acres devoted to tame and cultivated grasses,
with a yield of about 1 ton per acre. The hay consists mainly of
redtop or orchard grass or of these two grasses mixed. All the hay
produced is consumed on the farm in the wintering of cattle.
According to the census, there were 8,649 acres planted to corn in
1909, the crop amounting to 189,666 bushels. Corn is grown for the
feeding of work stock and the fattening of hogs, as well as for
domestic use. Practically no corn is sold.
Buckwheat was sown on 3,650 acres in 1909, with a production of
51,358 bushels. Buckwheat is grown for revenue and the bulk of
the crop is sold in outside markets.
Minor crops of Alleghany County include rye, wheat, oats, Irish
potatoes, cabbage, dry beans, and other vegetables. The cereal crops

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 11
and Irish potatoes are used mainly on the farms, but a small quantity
of cabbage and Irish potatoes is sold in near -by towns. Vegetables
make good yields and the product is of excellent quality.
Of the fruits grown, apples are the most important. The principal
varieties grown are the Virginia Beauty, York Imperial, Winesap,
Limbertwig, and Rome Beauty. The quality of the fruit is high
and indications are that with the establishment of good transporta-
tion facilities apple growing will be extended on a. commercial scale.
Cherries do exceptionally well in this county. A large quantity of
chestnuts is gathered annually from the forests. '
The raising of beef cattle is the most important and in many cases
the sole source of farm income. The census reports the value of all
animals sold or slaughtered in 1909 as $398,326. There are probably
15,000 or more head of cattle in Alleghany County. Nearly every
farmer raises cattle, the number on the individual farms ranging
from a few head to a hundred or more. The principal breeds of
cattle are the Hereford, Shorthorn, and Aberdewn Angus, with their
grades and crosses. The cattle are grazed during the summer and
fall. They are sold in the fall at the age of 2 or 3 years, when they
weigh 900 to 1,200 pounds. Local buyers send the cattle, for finish-
ing, to Pennsylvania or Virginia. A considerable proportion of the
stock goes to Lancaster, Pa., where the animals are fed for 6 to 8
weeks. The cattle from Alleghany County compare favorably in
quality with beef cattle from the Middle West.
Sheep raising is an important agricultural interest. The number
of sheep in the county is more than 12,000. Sheep are raised to be
sold to outside markets. Wool and mohair produced in 1909 reached
a value of over $9,000.
The 1910 census reports 4,432 hogs in Alleghany County. Hogs
are raised mainly for consumption on the farm, but a few head are
sold.
Poultry raising is a source of considerable farm revenue, the census
reporting the value of poultry and eggs produced in 1909 as $56,893.
A large number of turkeys are raised and driven to market.
The surface configuration of the county is not favorable for the
extensive cultivation of crops. The only areas that can be economi-
cally used for cropping are the bottom lands along the watercourses,
the smoother slopes and foothills, and the flat-topped mountain
ridges and rounded knobs. Corn and grain are grown on the hill
and mountain slopes, but the proportion of land occupied by these
crops is very small in comparison with that utilized for pasture.
Some recognition is given by the farmers to the adaptation of
crops to the various soils of the county, but factors others than soil
adaptedness govern in large measure the selection of fields. The

12 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
Porters loam and Talladega loam are recognized by the farmers as
good soils for wheat, the Ashe loam as a desirable soil for corn, oats,
and grass, the Chandler loam as well suited to rye, vegetables, and
fruit, and the Toxaway loam as a. good grass soil. The altitude and
direction of slope are considerations that influence the selection of
fields for some crops. The slopes facing the north and northwest are
generally utilized for rye, oats, and grass, while those exposed to
the east, southeast, and south are generally used for wheat, corn,
and fruit. Buckwheat does not seem to be affected by topography,
altitude, and slope exposure to the same extent as other crops, and it
is grown in all positions from stream bottoms to the tops of the
highest ridges.
Nearly all the farms are equipped with light and heavy plows,
hillside plows, harrows, drags, seed drills, cradles, mowers, and rakes,
while a few farmers have in addition binders and reapers, and still
others have thrashing outfits. In general the seed -bed preparation is
shallow. The range in depth is from 3 to 8 inches, but usually the
seed bed is not more than 5 inches deep. Most of the land for wheat
and rye is plowed in the early fall and dragged. The seed is mainly
drilled, but a small proportion of the crop is sown by hand. Few
farmers sow grass or clover with wheat or rye, but, it is not uncom-
mon to harrow in grass or clover seed on the grain crop the following
spring.
Buckwheat and oats are generally sown on land prepared in the
spring. Buckwheat is utilized as a nurse crop for grass and clover
more generally than is any other grain. Most of the grain sowed
occupies hill and mountain slopes and the crop is harvested mainly
with a cradle, a binder being employed in more favored situations,
such as coves and broad ridge tops. Wheat, oats, rye, and buck-
wheat are shocked and when cured are stacked. Thrashing is done
subsequently by outfits that go from place to place, making a charge
of one -twentieth of the wheat handled and one -sixteenth of the rye,
oats, or buckwheat. • A considerable proportion of the buckwheat
grown is thrashed by hand.
Nearly all the corn land is prepared in the fall and plowing is
generally much deeper than for the small grains. The cultivations
given corn are shallow and frequent.
It is considered by many farmers that the benefits of fall plowing
on the higher slopes are more than offset by the loss of soil at the
time of the heavy winds of winter and early spring. The soil cover-
ing on the south and southeast slopes is generally shallower than on
the north and northwest slopes, and seems to be more readily removed
by surface run-off.
The crop rotation generally followed by the farmers in Alleghany
County consists of corn, a small grain, in which grass and clover are

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 13
sown, and hay and pasturage. The schedule, however, varies with
the individual farmer; corn may be followed by rye, wheat, or clover,
or two successive crops of rye may be produced and as many as four
successive crops of wheat. Stands of clover last for 2 or 3 years and
this legume is generally used as a renovation crop. A few farmers
sow grass or grass and clover on the snow, while others harrow the
seed in the rye or wheat fields in the spring. If the grass stand
is heavy enough hay is cut the second year and the field is used
as pasturage for periods ranging from 3 to 12 years. Many farmers
follow corn the succeeding spring with oats or buckwheat, used as
a nurse crop for grass.
The total expenditure for fertilizer in Alleghany County in 1909,
as given by the census, was $18,804, 61.3 per cent of the farms report-
ing the use of commercial mixtures. The fertilizer most commonly
used is 16 per cent acid phosphate. This is applied in quantities
ranging from 100 to 500 pounds an acre. A few farmers have ex-
perienced good results from the use of lime, and all the farmers re-
port that stable manure is the most efficacious fertilizer used, and
only the lack of sufficient animal manures makes the use of com-
mercial mixtures necessary.
The expenditure for labor in Alleghany County aggregated $31,927
in 1909, there being an average outlay of $56.61 for each of the 564
farms reporting the hire of farm hands. Most of the labor employed
is white. The greater proportion of the expenditure for labor is for
service by the day, the rate of pay being about 75 cents a day, with
board. Where hands are employed by the month they receive $15
to $25.
The average size of farms in Alleghany County, as given by the
census is 102.3 acres. Land holdings range from a few acres to
farms comprising 1,000 acres or more. Two-thirds of the farms are
between 20 and 175 acres in size.
Of the 1,466 farms in the county, the census reports 84.4 per cent
as operated by owners, the percentage having increased slightly
since 1900. Fifteen per cent of the. farms are worked by tenants,
mainly on a share basis.
The value of farm land in Alleghany County ranges from $20 to
$200 an acre, the price depending on the soil, improvements, and
location. The 1910 census reports the average assessed land value
as $19.79 an acre, a gain of 103 per cent over that reported in 1900.
SOILS.
Alleghany County lies wholly in the Appalachian Mountain and
Plateau Province. The soils of the county, except those of alluvial
origin, are consequently residual, i. e., derived through the disinte-

14 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
gration and decomposition of the underlying rocks. The principal
rocks are gneiss, mica gneiss, mica schist, and granite, together with
hornblende and garnetiferous schist and dikes of other hard intru-
sive rocks.
The covering of soil material over the bedrock is generally shal-
low, and in many places the partially decayed rock is reached be-
tween the depths of 18 and 36 inches. Outcrops of the bedrock occur
on slopes where erosion has kept close pace with soil formation. The
quartz occurring in narrow bands or veins in the original rocks has
resisted the agencies of weathering. The veins have merely broken
up and the fragments are encountered on the surface, in the surface
soil or embedded in the subsoil.
In many places mica schist and mica gneiss are associated so closely
in occurrence that difficulty is encountered in distinguishing between
the resultant soils.
With the range in physical and chemical composition of the under-
lying rocks and differences in the stage of decay and oxidation of the
component minerals, soils have been derived which vary in color,
structure, origin, and other characteristics, but a uniformly loamy
texture and dominantly friable structure are characteristic of practi-
cally all the surface soils.
The soils are classed in series which differ in color, structure, mode
of origin, or other characteristics. Five series are recognized. The
upland soils are comprised in the Ashe, Chandler, Porters, and Talla-
dega series, and the bottom -land soils in the Toxaway series.
The Ashe series is characterized by light -brown to yellowish sur-
face soils and brownish -yellow or slightly reddish yellow, friable
clay subsoils. The Ashe very coarse sandy loam and loam are encoun-
tered in Alleghany County. The loam is derived from gneiss, granite,
mica -gneiss, and garnetiferous schist, while the very coarse sandy
loam is derived from coarse -grained granite.
The Chandler series comprises yellow or brownish-yellow-ssurface
soils and dominantly yellow subsoils. The surface soil and subsoil
carry sufficient quantities of mica to give them a greasy feel and a
lustrous appearance. The Chandler soils are derived mainly from
mica schist and more rarely from mica gneiss. The Chandler loam
is the only member of this series mapped in Alleghany County.
The Porters series is characterized by brown to red surface soils
and red or brownish -red subsoils. The members of this series are
derived from hornblende schist, gneiss, granite, and granitoid gneiss,
locally associated with mica schist and mica gneiss. The Porters
loam is the only representative of this series mapped in the present
survey.
The Talladega series differs from the Porters principally in that
the surface soil and subsoil are slightly less compact, are somewhat

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 15
lighter in color, and contain large quantities of small particles of
mica: The Talladega soils are derived directly from mica schist.
Only one member of the series —the loam —is represented in Alle-
ghany County.
The Toxaway series comprises brown to dark -gray surface soils and
light -brown to black subsoils. The series is developed in the bottoms
along streams in the southern Appalachian Mountain region. In
Alleghany County it is represented by one type —the Toxaway loam.
In addition to the five series recognized in this survey, two types
of miscellaneous material are mapped —Rough stony land, repre-
senting areas of rough topography which have an abundance of
stone on the surface or include numerous outcrops of bedrock, and
Rock outcrop, comprising an exposure of bare rock.
In subsequent pages of this report the different soil types are
described in detail and their agricultural characteristics briefly con-
sidered. The distribution of the soils is shown on the map accom-
panying this report, and the following table shows the actual and
relative extent of each type mapped.
Areas of different soils.
Soil.
Acres.
Percent.
Soil.
Acres.
Percent.
Asheloam ------ .-------------
63,672
51.4
Rough stony land .............
2,112
1.6
Porters loam ..................
33,792
25.3
Ashe very coarse sandy loam..
576
.4
Chandler loam ................
14,336
10.7
Rock outcrop.................
192
.1
Toxaway loam ................
7,360
5.5
Talladega loam ................
6,720
5.0
I Total....................
133,760
-• .......
ASHE VERY COARSE SANDY LOAM.
The surface soil of the Ashe very coarse sandy loam consists of a
very coarse sandy loam of a light -gray color, grading into a pale -
yellow color at about 2 to 6 inches. This material extends to a depth
of 8 to 20 inches. The subsoil is a yellow, friable coarse sandy clay
or clay, which either extends to a depth of 3 feet or grades into dis-
integrated granite. The surface soil carries a large quantity of small
angular quartz gravel, the particles ranging in diameter from owe
sixteenth to one-fourth inch.
This type is limited in occurrence to a small area in thu-g'ovffi-
eastern part of the county around Miles. It occupie's thrr 10,, a r
mountain slopes, the surface being gently rolling to strongly roRiTrg.
The surface drainage and internal drainage are good.
Much of this type can be cultivated. It is used for the production
of corn, buckwheat, rye, and potatoes, and a small quantity of apples.
The Ashe very coarse sandy loam is a mellow soil, easily tilled.
It responds readily to the application of stable and green manures.

16 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
ASHE LOAM.
The surface soil of the Ashe loam is a light -brown to brownish -
yellow loam, having a depth of about 6 to 10 inches. The subsoil is a
brownish -yellow or dull -yellow to slightly reddish yellow or buff -
colored, friable, crumbly clay loam or clay, which continues down-
ward to the underlying rock, the depth in places exceeding 3 feet.
Occasionally the disintegrated rock is encountered between 2 and 3
feet below the surface, and in places immediately beneath the surface
soil. Mica scales are generally present in both surface soil and sub-
soil, but not in sufficient quantities to give the material the greasy feel
characteristic of the associated Chandler loam.
Included with the Ashe loam as mapped are two small areas of
Ashe stony loam. In both cases the surface soil and subsoil are typi-
cal of the Ashe loam, the only difference being in the larger quan-
tity of stone fragments, ranging from 2 to 5 inches in diameter,
scattered over the surface and distributed to a less extent throughout
the immediate subsurface stratum.
One of the most important variations in the Ashe loam occurs in
the southern and southeastern parts of the county on the crest of the
Blue Ridge, largely along the county line. The surface soil and
upper subsoil are typical, the surface soil being generally only a
little darker in color, but the subsoil, with approach to the underly-
ing rock, at a depth of 2 to 3 feet, becomes micaceous and slightly
greasy, the material being derived from garnetiferous schist. In-
cluded also with the typical Ashe loam as mapped are patches or
strips of Chandler loam, Porters loans, and Talladega loam too small
to separate in mapping.
The Ashe loam is the most widely distributed and the most exten-
sive soil mapped. The type occurs in all parts of the county, but it
is largely developed in three general belts. One of these extends in a
northeasterly direction from the river bank opposite Sturgills Store
to New River, beyond Turkey Knob School, in the northern part of
the county. Another occurs in the central part of the county on the
north and south slopes of the Peach Bottom Mountains, extending
northeasterly from near the western county line toward Vox in the
northern part of the county. The third and largest belt also ex-
tends in a northeasterly direction; it includes the southwest, south-
east, and northeast parts of the county. These belts represent only
the general distribution of the type, the areas of which are not con-
tinuous, but are interrupted by bodies of other soils.
The Ashe loam occupies practically all positions from the lower
valley plains to the tops of the mountains, although it rarely occupies
the highest crests or peaks. Part of the type is gently rolling, but

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 17
for the most part the type forms rolling intermountain country,
comprising knolls and ridges which have smooth slopes.
Drainage over this type is excellent, and in spite.of its position and
surface relief little erosion has taken place, bald spots where the sur-
face mantle has been removed by wash being rare.
The Ashe loam is derived from the decay in place of such under-
lying rocks as gneiss, mica gneiss, and garnetiferous schist, with local
intrusions of mica and hornblende schist. The character of the soil
from place to place bears a close relation to the geological formations,
and the intrusions mentioned are in general responsible for the varia-
tions in the type.
Probably 40 per cent of this type is cleared and about one-third of
the cleared land is devoted to crops, the remainder being used for
pastures. The forest growth consists of chestnut, red oak, white oak,
chestnut oak, maple, ash, beech, dogwood, hemlock, and poplar; the
undergrowth, particularly near the stream channels, consists of
rhododendron and laurel.
The chief type of farming on this soil is the grazing of beef cattle.
The crops grown are mainly utilized in feeding work stock, cattle, and
hogs. The favored position occupied in general by this type permits
the maturity of a wide range of crops. Corn, wheat, rye, buckwheat,
oats, hay, fruits, and vegetables are grown. Corn, according to the
reports of farmers, yields 20 to 40 bushels an acre, wheat 15 to 25
bushels, rye 10 to 15 bushels, buckwheat 15 to 25 bushels, and oats 20
to 40 bushels. Mixed hay (timothy, redtop or orchard grass, and
clover) gives yields of 1 to 11 tons an acre. Apples, cherries, and
grapes are successfully grown, and in some of the protected mountain
coves peaches are a profitable crop. Such garden vegetables as Irish
potatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, and turnips succeed
very well.
As a general practice, one to three crops of corn are grown on this
type, followed by one to three crops of wheat. If wheat is not sown
rye may take its place as a fall -sown crop. Oats or buckwheat sown
the following spring may take the place of rye.
The small grains are usually grown on the Ashe loam as nurse
crops for grass and clover, which may be sown either in the fall or
spring. When hay is harvested the second summer the land is in
some cases used as pasture for periods ranging from 3 to 10 years.
The pastures on this type are said to be very good, particularly those
on the north slopes.
The chief means of maintaining the productiveness of this type
consist of turning under pasture sod and grain stubble, and grow-
ing red,,clover with grass. Stable manure is generally applied to
corn land and 16 per cent acid phosphate to the grain crops, at the

18 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
rate of 100 to 300 pounds an acre. A few farmers report good re-
sults from the use of lime, especially where the organic content of
the soil is high.
The Ashe loam has a friable structure and good tilth can be main-
tained easily. The type is highly adapted to the general -farming
crops and fruit, as well as to Irish potatoes and cabbage. It is not
so good for wheat as is the Porters loam, but pastures on it are better
and more permanent than on the latter type.
The selling price of land of the Ashe loam ranges from $30 to
$100 an acre, depending upon the location and improvements.
Plowing on this type should be deeper and other tillage operations
more thorough. Crops should be rotated systematically and arranged
so as to shorten the intervals between the seedings to grass. This will
do much to maintain the organic content and increase the produc-
tiveness of the land. Liming apparently would be beneficial.
CHANDLER LOAM.
The Chandler loam to a depth of 6 to 12 inches consists pre-
dominantly of a dull -yellow, brownish -yellow or light -brown loam
which is underlain by a subsoil of yellow, brownish -yellow or faintly
reddish yellow, friable, crumbly clay loam or clay. The subsoil
usually grades into the partly decayed rock at 2 to 4 feet. Not in-
frequently the subsoil is lacking and the surface soil rests directly
on the rock. Finely divided scales of mica occur in very large quan-
tities in the subsoil and to a noticeable extent in the surface soil.
These give the material a greasy feel when rubbed between the fingers
and a luster when exposed to sunlight. In many places ledges of
rock protrude through the soil.
Closely associated with this type are strips of typical Ashe loam
and Talladega loam, too small to differentiate on the soil map.
Spots of Chandler clay loam are also included on some of the steeper
slopes, developed where the heavy material has been exposed by soil
wash. The Chandler loam, however, is much more uniform through-
out its distribution than is the Talladega loam and the variations
mentioned are mainly negligible.
The Chandler loam has a wider distribution than the Talladega
loam, although it is one of the less important types of the county.
It occurs in scattered bodies in all parts of the county, generally
closely associated with the Ashe loam. It is well developed along
the county line north and south of Laurelsprings, and along Brush
Creek northeast of Hooker. It is equally typical on the crest of
Peach Bottom Mountains, on the slopes of Bullhead Mountain, and
on the east slope to Pine Swamp Creek. It is not quite so typical
on the crests and slopes of the Blue Ridge near the south and east
county boundary lines, where the mica content is less than usual,

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 19
especially where the soil is derived from garnetiferous schist. The
Chandler loam is largely confined to the higher altitudes, especially
the crests of mountains. The drainage is thorough and generally
excessive, being sufficient in places on the slopes to cause soil wash.
The Chandler loam owes its origin to the weathering in place of
mica schist, mica gneiss, and, less commonly, garnetiferous schist.
About one-third of the total area of the type is utilized for agri-
cultural purposes, the remainder supporting a forest growth con-
sisting of mixed chestnut, white oak, red oak, chestnut oak, and
white pine. In some places white pine is the most conspicuous
growth. Only about one-third of the cleared land is cultivated, the
remainder being used for pasturage. The crops grown consist of
corn, rye, buckwheat, and hay. Wheat is seldom grown. Like the
other soils of the county, this type is used in the main for the grazing
of live stock and the production of subsistence crops. As the Chan-
dler loam occupies the highest elevations in the county it is exposed
to more severe winter conditions than the other types, and little fruit
is grown except on south and east slopes. Here fruit can be success-
fully produced.
Crop yields reported for this type are: Corn, 5 to 12-1 bushels
per acre; rye, 8 to 14 bushels; and buckwheat, 10 to 24 bushels. The
hay crop is generally very light.
Corn is usually followed by rye or buckwheat. Grass for hay or
pasturage is generally sown with the buckwheat or harrowed in on
rye in the spring.
Except over small areas on the tops of ridges and on the gentler
slopes, improved farm implements can not be used on the Chandler
loam. The soil, however, is easily worked, it warms up quickly in
the spring, and crops mature early. The type is deficient in organic
matter. The manure available is usually applied to corn and rarely
to other crops. The small grains, however, are fertilized with an
acreage application of 100 to 300 pounds of 16 per cent acid phos-
phate.
The selling price of land of this type ranges from $20 to $40 an
acre.
The Chandler loam is generally less productive of grass and grain
than the Talladega loam, but its productiveness can be greatly
increased by the incorporation of stable manure and the plowing
under of coarse forage, grain stubble, and green manuring crops.
Deep plowing and thorough tillage would do much to increase the
yields.
PORTERS LOA31.
The surface soil of the Porters loam is a dark -brown or reddish -
brown loam, ranging in depth from 5 to 12 inches. The subsoil is a

20 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
friable clay loam to compact clay of a red or light -red color, generally
extending to a depth of 3 feet. In places, however, the disintegrat-
ing bedrock is reached at a depth of 2 or 3 feet, and occasional
ledges are exposed at the surface, especially on the steeper slopes.
The surface soil in general has a mellow structure. The subsoil con-
tains a sprinkling of mica scales, but these are less abundant than
in the Talladega and Chandler loams and do not give the material
a greasy feel.
Included with this type are a number of small patches of Porters
clay loam, formed by the partial or complete removal of the surface
soil by soil wash, and a small patch of Porters stony loam. The
most important developments of Porters clay loam are encountered
near the public road north of Toms Devil Knob and south of Rock
Creek School, as well as near the county line in the northwest corner.
The stony loam differs from the typical loam only in having a
scattered distribution of stones on the surface. A variation in the
Porters loam occurs north of Edwards Crossroad, where the -surface
soil is intensely red in color and the subsoil is a deep -red clay.
Throughout the Porters loam there are included numerous areas and
strips of Ashe loam and Talladega loam too small to separate on
the map.
The Porters loam is the second soil in point of extent. It occurs
throughout the county, but less extensively in the southeastern part.
It is largely developed in two belts, which, however, are not continu-
ous. One of these extends from southwest of Whitehead to Eunice
and beyond. The larger and more continuous belt begins southwest
of Peden and extends to New River.
The Porters loam occupies the lower mountain slopes, and hills and
ridges of moderate elevation. It usually occurs in an intermountain
position, and never on the tops of the highest mountains. The type
in general is well drained, and in places on the steeper slopes the
run-off is so excessive as to have partially or wholly removed the
surface soil and gullied the subsoil. On the other hand, in small
areas the type adjoins the bottom lands so gradually that drainage
in the lowest part of the slope is not well established.
The Porters loam is derived from the weathering or decay in place
of hornblende schist, gneiss, mica gneiss, and less commonly granitoid
gneiss, as well as from other igneous rocks. Slight differences in the
parent rocks are largely responsible for the variations which occur
throughout the type.
About 75 per cent of the Porters loam is farmed, the remainder
supporting a mixed growth of chestnut, red oak, white oak, chestnut
oak, maple, ash, poplar, dogwood, and cucumber tree, with a thick
undergrowth in places of rhododendron, laurel, and wild grape.
About 50 per cent of the cleared land is used for the production of

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 21
crops and the remainder as pastures. As on the other soils of the
county, the type of agriculture consists of general farming, in con-
junction with the raising of live stock. The crops grown, named in
the order of their importance, are corn, hay, wheat, buckwheat, rye,
and oats, with garden vegetables and fruit for home use.
Over much of this type improved labor-saving machinery can be
used. Part of the land, however, is too steep and rough for the
economical production of crops and is used for permanent pastures
or allowed to remain in forest.
The following yields per acre are reported by farmers on the
Porters loam: Corn 30 to 50 bushels, wheat 15 to 35 bushels, buck-
wheat 15 to 30 bushels, rye 10 to 20 bushels, oats 20 to 50 bushels,
and hay 1J to 2 tons.
Crops are usually grown in a succession consisting of corn, wheat
or rye, oats or buckwheat, and grass and clover, the land being then
pastured for a long period. As many as three or four successive
crops of corn and wheat are grown. In general the Porters loam is
probably farmed better than the other soils; seed -bed preparation is
more thorough and the tillage given is more intensive. Commercial
fertilizers are rarely used on corn land, but the small -grain crops are
usually fertilized with 16 per cent acid phosphate in applications
ranging from 100 to 400 pounds an acre. Stable manure, as far as
available, is applied to corn land.
The Porters loam is slightly more difficult to work than is the
Talladega loam or Ashe loam. The depth of plowing is usually
greater, ranging from 5 to 10 inches. The type is an excellent soil
for the general farming crops and gives better yields of wheat than
any other type in the county. Results with oats are rather uncertain,
but buckwheat yields heavily and the growing of this crop is said to
improve the physical condition of the soil. The Porters loam is one
of the most valuable types in the county for apples, on account of its
topographic position. -
Land of this type has considerable range in selling value, the
farms being held at prices ranging from $80 to $150 an acre.
The Porters loam is inherently one of the strongest soils in Alle-
ghany County, and it can be built up to a high and rather permanent
state of productiveness. The chief means of improving the type is
the systematic rotation of crops to include the more frequent grow-
ing of red clover. The use of lime is reported to be beneficial, espe-
cially where the organic content of the soil is high.
TALLADEGA LOAM.
The surface soil of the Talladega loam consists of a brown to red-
dish -brown loam, having a depth of 5 to 10 inches. This is underlain
by a red or yellowish -red, friable clay loam or clay, which may ex-

22 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
tend to a depth of 3 feet or more but generally grades into decayed
rock at some depth between 2 and 3 feet. In spots the rock comes
to the surface. There is generally pre -Sent in both surface soil and
subsoil a sufficient quantity of finely divided mica scales to give an
unctuous or greasy feel to the material. The mica content is usually
more conspicuous in the subsoil in those places in which the parent
rock is near the surface.
The Talladega loam in Alleghany County is not uniform. The
subsoil varies in color from red or reddish yellow to streaked red
and yellow, all of these different colors being developed in some
places within areas of a few square feet. In small depressions and
coves the surface soil is rich brown in color and may exceed 12 inches
in depth, while, on the other hand, on the steeper slopes the color is
lighter and the soil covering more shallow. Not infrequently the
surface -soil material is entirely removed, exposing the underlying
red or reddish -yellow clay loam. If larger these spots would have
been mapped as Talladega clay loam.
The Talladega loam covers only a small total area, though it oc-
curs in small areas in all parts of the county with the exception of
the southeastern and extreme eastern sections. It is typically de-
veloped west of Nile. The largest area occurs in the bend of New
River near Sibyl. Isolated areas lie in the vicinity of Laurelsprings
along the western county line and on the slopes to Piney Fork. The
type is encountered elsewhere in many spots closely associated with
the Porters loam.
Usually the Talladega loam occupies the lower slopes of the moun-
tains and knolls, but occasionally it is encountered on the crests of
intermountain ridges. The surface is generally smooth, although
in places the slope is rather precipitous. Drainage over the type is
thorough and in places excessive. The run-off is rapid and occa-
sionally the underlying mica schist is exposed by erosion.
The Talladega loam is derived from the weathering or decay in
place of the underlying mica schist and mica gneiss and associated
igneous rocks.
About one-half the total area of this type is used in agriculture.
The remainder supports a growth of mixed chestnut oak, red oak,
white oak, dogwood, maple, and poplar, with occasional pine and
hemlock trees. Probably less than one-third of the land farmed is
cultivated, the type being used mainly for pastures. The raising of
beef cattle is the chief interest, and the crops grown are mainly used
for subsistence of the stock. They consist of corn, rye, wheat, buck-
wheat, and oats. In addition vegetables and small quantities of fruit
are grown for home use. Fuller use of this soil for cultivated crops is
prevented by the rough topography.

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 23
Yields on the Talladega loam vary widely with the methods of
farming pursued. Corn yields 20 to 30 bushels per acre; rye, 10 to
15 bushels; buckwheat, 10 to 25 bushels; wheat, 10 to 20 bushels; oats,
20 to 35 bushels; and mixed hay, 1 to 12 tons. Farmers report that
the type gives best yields in wet seasons as it is inclined to droughti-
ness. Oats are reported an uncertain crop.
The crop rotation practiced on the Talladega loam consists gen-
erally of corn followed by wheat, buckwheat or oats, and grass.
Sometimes wheat is used as a nurse crop for red clover when it is
desired to grow this legume for soil -improving purposes, but grass
and clover are more frequently sown with buckwheat or oats than
with wheat. The grass crops include timothy, redtop, and orchard
grass, and red or sapling clover. After the hay is cut the land is
pastured for a period of three years or more.
Plowing on the Talladega loam is generally shallow. Corn is
rarely fertilized, and then only with stable manure. The small grains
are usually fertilized with acid phosphate applied in quantities rang-
ing from 100 to 300 pounds per acre.
The Talladega loam is a good soil for the general farming crops,
especially wheat, under favorable conditions, but it is not so produc-
tive as the Porters loam or Ashe loam, and the pastures are not as
permanent as on the latter types.
The value of land of the Talladega loam ranges from $40 to $80 an
acre, depending on the location and the grazing afforded.
The Talladega loam is capable of considerable improvement,
especially where it occupies favorable topography. Deep plowing,
more thorough tillage, and adding to the generally deficient supply
of organic matter will enable the soil to take up more moisture, so as
to lessen the effects of prolonged droughts, and in other ways will
increase crop yields. The more frequent growing of red clover in
crop -rotation systems would do much to supply organic matter when
the supply of stable manure is short.
TO%AWAY LOAM.
The surface soil of the Toxaway loam is prevailingly a dark -gray
to dark -brown loam, having a depth of about 6 to 15 inches. The
subsoil is somewhat variable in color and texture, but in general it
consists of a light -brown to black loam or clay loam extending to a
depth of 3 feet. Throughout the surface soil and subsoil, in many
places, there is present a sufficient quantity of small mica scales to
give the material a slick, greasy feel.
Included with the type as mapped are spots where the soil is a
black loam. This variation is developed particularly along Piney
Fork and Meadow Fork Creek. Bordering the stream courses in

24 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
places narrow strips or hummocks of brown fine sand are encoun-
tered. Layers of gravel and fine sand occur occasionally in the sub-
soil. Along New River are included with the Toxaway loam a few
spots of second -bottom or terrace soils.
The Toxaway loam is a soil of the first or overflow bottoms. It
occurs in all parts of the county in long, narrow strips, ranging in
width from 100 to 1,000 feet, bordering the rivers and streams.
The type in general has a flat and almost level surface, favoring the
use of improved farm implements. There is a slight gradient toward
the channel, except where low ridges of fine sand are developed near
the stream course. The flats occupied by this soil in certain places
near the uplands have the appearance of depressions; here the
drainage is poor and the land remains wet a considerable part of the
year. Drainage is fairly well established over most of the type,
although all of it is subject to frequent heavy overflows, usually of
short duration.
The Toxaway loam is an alluvial soil, representing material washed
from the uplands and brought down and deposited by the streams
in their flood plains_ at times of inundations. Present-day overflows
continually deposit new sediments over most of the type, although in
places the waters are eroding the surface soil covering instead of
adding to it.
About 95 per cent of this land is cleared and farmed, the type be-
ing used principally for the production of hay, although corn is
grown to some extent. The hay consists chiefly of timothy, redtop,
and orchard grass, and the yields range from 1 to 2 tons per acre.
Corn, without fertilization, yields 25 to 60 bushels an acre, and the
type is considered the best corn and hay soil in the county. Wheat
does well on the higher lying areas.
Cattle grazed upon the uplands until fall are brought to the stream
bottom lands to be wintered, and the hay produced on this type is
used principally as subsistence for beef stock. In places this land
has been in grass for 20 years or more. Land of this type sells at
$60 to $200 an acre.
In the wetter areas of the Toxaway loam the drainage could be im-
proved to good advantage. The type would probably be benefited by
the application of lime at the rate of about 1 ton per acre.
E017CH STONY LAND.
The term " Rough stony land " is used to designate areas of rough
topography which are strewn with bowlders and contain numerous
outcrops of bedrock.
The type includes the rough slopes along Little River 1 mile south
in
of the State line, the crest and north slopes of Bullhead Mountain,
the tops of the highest knobs near Air Bellows Gap, the tops of

SOIL SURVEY OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 25
Fender Mountain and Cheek Mountain of the Peach Bottom Moun-
tains, and areas along the south county line. Rough stony land is
mapped elsewhere in isolated bodies throughout the county.
This land is unsuited for farming, though in some places it affords
a little grazing. Most of the Rough stony land is forested, and the
timber stand constitutes its greatest value, although lumbering could
be carried on only at considerable expense.
ROCK OUTCROP.
The term " Rock outcrop " is applied to an extensive exposure of
bare rock on the southern county line. This is a barren mass of rock,
known as Stone Mountain, with slopes that have an almost perpen-
dicular drop of several hundred feet. On the top of the elevation
there is in places a very thin covering of sandy soil, but in general
erosion has kept close pace with weathering and has prevented the
accumulation of soil.
The sandy mantle in patches supports a sparse growth of scrubby
timber, but the type has no agricultural value.
SUMMARY.
Alleghany County lies in the northwestern part of North Carolina,
bordering the State of Virginia. It has an area of 209 square miles,
or 133,760 acres. The county is included in the Appalachian Moun-
tain and Plateau Province. Mountainous topography prevails, but
there are many rounded elevations of generally smooth surface.
The general slope is toward the north and northeast. Drainage is
effected by the New River and its numerous tributaries, and there is
little undrained land in the county.
The population of the county, as given by the 1910 census, is 7,745.
The population is entirely rural, and settlement is in general well
distributed. Sparta, the largest town and the county seat, has a
population of 199.
The county is not reached by a railroad line, and the nearest rail-
road station is Doughton, on the Elkin & Alleghany Railroad, 174
miles from Sparta. Galax, Va., 21 miles from Sparta, on the Nor-
folk & Western, is the most important shipping and receiving point.
There are a number of stores and post offices in the county, and
churches and schoolhouses are conveniently located.
The climate of Alleghany County is temperate and healthful.
Extremes of heat and cold occur only at rare intervals. The pre-
cipitation is ample and well distributed throughout the year.
The raising of live stock constitutes the chief interest of the
county. The principal crops grown are hay, corn, buckwheat, rye,
wheat, and oats.

26 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1915.
The soils of the county are derived from gneiss, and other igneous
and metamorphic rocks, the relation between the soils and the asso-
ciated geological formations being very close. Six soil types and, in
addition, Rock outcrop and Rough stony land are shown on the map.
The upland soils belong in the Ashe, Chandler, Porters, and Talla-
dega series, and the alluvial, first -bottom. soils in the Toxaway series.
The Ashe very coarse sandy loam occurs in one small area in the
southeastern part of the county. It is used for general farming.
The Ashe loam is the most extensive type snapped. It is an excel-
lent soil for the general farming crops, where the surface features
are such that it can be farmed economically. The pastures on this
soil are lasting.
The Chandler loam is the least productive of the upland soils for
general farming, but it is an excellent type, where the surface is
smooth, for light farming and truck and fruit growing, and when
economic factors have become more favorable can be developed along
special lines.
The Porters loam is generally considered the strongest soil in the
county for the general farming crops. About three -fourths of the
type is used for agriculture.
The Talladega loam is very similar to the Chandler loam in agri-
cultural value, but it is slightly more productive for grass and
wheat.
The Toxaway loam constitutes the principal hay land of the
county. This soil is well adapted to grass and corn.
Rock outcrop and Rough stony land are miscellaneous types of
practically no agricultural value.
0

[PUBLIC RESOLUTION —+NO. 9.1
JOINT RD,SOLUTION Amending public resolution numbered eight, Fifty-sixth Congress,
second session, approved February twenty-third, nineteen hundred and one, " providing
for the printing anniially of the report on field operations df the Division of Soils,
Department of Agriculture."
Resbl'ved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of
Amet4ca -an Congress assembled, That public resolution numbered eight, Fifty-
sixth Congress, second session, approved February twenty-third, nineteen hun-
dred and one, be amended by striking out all after the resolving clause and in-
serting irr lieu thereof the following:
That theee shall'be printed ten thousand -five hundred copies of the, report On
field operations of the Division of Soils, Department of Agriculture, of which
one thousand five hundred copies shall be for the use of the Senate, three
thousand copies for the use of the House of Representatives, and six thousand
copies -for the use of the Department - of Agriculture. Provided, That in addi-
tion to the number of copies above provided for there shall be printed, as soon
as the manuscript can be prepared, with the necessary maps and illustrations
to accompany it, a report on each area surveyed, in the form of advance sheets,
bound in paper covers, of which five hundred copies shall be for the use of each
Senator from the State, two thousand copies for the use of each Representative
for the congressional district or districts in which the survey is made, and one
thousand copies for the use of the Department of Agriculture.
Approved, 14arch 14,, 1904.
[On July'l, 1901, the Division of- Soils was reorganized as the Bureau of Soils.]

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