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SOIL SURVEY OF ROBERTSON COUNTY, TEXAS. 43
distances from recently deposited loamy fine sand to silt loam.
Where the contiguous uplands are quite sandy the lighter material
has been washed down and spread over the true alluvium, giving the
soil the appearance of a deep, dark-gray sandy loam. This washing
down of sandy material not infrequently depreciates the value of the
type.
The Sanders loam is confined largely to the upper courses of the
large creeks, like Walnut, Mineral, and Duck. It supports a growth
of pin oak, pecan, post oak, ash, cottonwood, elm, and hackberry,
with an occasional sprinkling of walnut. Although subject to overflow,
the soil is very desirable. It produces from 40 to 75 bushels of
corn per acre, and cotton and grass do well. Yields of 200 to over
400 gallons of sirup an acre are easily made.
The
following table gives the results of mechanical analyses of
samples of the soil and subsoil of this type:
Mechanical analyses of Sanders loam.
Number. Description. 'Fine Coarse Medium Fine Vefy fine Silt Clay
Number. Description gravel: sand. sand. sand. sand. t. .
Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent.
1635........... Soil ........... 0.1 2.1 6.8 19.9 12.5 46.9 12.0
16636........... Subsoil ....... .1 2.5 7.2 19.4 9.7 45.8 15.0
SANDERS SILT LOAM.
The Sanders silt loam to an average depth of 12 inches is a darkcolored
or nearly black, heavy, compact silt loam. There is frequently
a mottling of brown and drab immediately beneath the surface
soil. Pockets of sand may occur anywhere in the soil profile or
a mantle of sandy material may cover small areas. Though the subsoil
is variable in texture and color, it is generally a dark-gray or
brown mottled with drab silt loam, passing into a brown fine sandy
loam in the lower portion.
The Sanders silt loam is an alluvial soil and occupies the bottom
lands along the lower courses of a number of creeks. The most
extensive areas are those along Walnut, Duck, and Mineral creeks.
The native timber comprises pin oak, ash, pecan, hackberry, elm,
cottonwood, and some scattering walnut, boxelder, and holly.
The type is subject to overflow, but frequently good crops are made.
It is the strongest corn soil of the area, producing from 45 to 75
bushels per acre without fertilizers. Cotton also does well. Johnson
and Bermuda grass yield three heavy cuttings of excellent hay.
Heavy yields of sirup are obtained. The soil is remarkably strong
and durable, needing no kind of fertilizers. This land can be bought
at a very reasonable price.