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2 SOIL SURVEY
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<br /> from 18.21 inches in 1899 to 75.65 inches in 1957. from the soils of the counties are a major sour(~e of
<br /> Prevailing winds are southerly to southeasterly during livelihood for many people.
<br /> most months. In January and February northerly winds Water is an important natural resoume. Several lakes
<br />· prodominate. The mean annual relative humidity is 83 provide high quality water for homes and industry. Scat-.
<br /> percent at 6 A.M., 56 pemant at noon, and 55 percent at tered aquifers throughout the area provide high quality- ~
<br /> 6 P.M. water for home use.
<br /> In winter, temperatures are mild. A Iow temperature of Wildlife produced on the farms, ranches, and game
<br /> 32 degrees F or below occurs on about 2 nights out of management areas provides recreation for many resi-
<br /> 3. The daily high fails to exceed 32 degrees on an dents.
<br /> average of about 4 days per year. The area experiences Gravel from high terrace deposits of the Red River
<br /> frequent surges of cold continental air in winter. Cold and from the rectified North Sulphur River channel and
<br /> fronts moving down from the north often are.accompa- chalk and limestone mined from bedrock provide materi-
<br /> nied by strong gusty winds and sudden drops in tern- al for local road construction.
<br /> perature; however, cold spells are short, rarely lasting Natural gas is produced by a few wells In the eastern
<br /> longer than 48 hours before rapid warming occurs. Pre- part of Delta County.
<br /> cipitation may fall as rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow.
<br /> In summer, days are warm, particularly in July and
<br /> August. There is little variation in the day-to-day weather HOW this survey was made
<br /> during these months. Sunshine is about 75 percent of Soil scientists made this survey to learn what kinds of
<br /> the total possible during summer. Refrigerated air condi- soil are in the survey area, where they are, and how they
<br /> tioning provides the maximum comfort indoors, can be used. The soil scientists went into the area know-
<br /> Spring and fall are characterized by warm days and lng they likely would locate many soils they already knew
<br /> cool nights. Cloudiness and showers are slightly more something about and perhaps identify some they had
<br /> frequent in spring than in fall. Also, average windspeed is never seen before. They observed the steepness, length,
<br /> stronger In spring, and shape of slopes; the size of streams and the general
<br /> The growing season (freeze-free period) averages 228 pattern of drainage; the kinds of native plants or crops;
<br /> days. The average dates of the last freeze in the spring the kinds of rock; and many facts about the soils. They.
<br /> and the first in the fall are March 26 and November 9. dug many holes to expose soil profiles. A profile is the..
<br /> About 50 thunderstorms occur each year. A few of these sequence of natural layers, or horizons, in a soil; it ex-
<br /> thunderstorms are accompanied by destructive wind, tends from the surface down into the parent material,
<br /> hail, or high Intensity rein. which has been changed very little by leaching or by the
<br /> action of plant roots.
<br /> Farming The soil scientists recorded the characteristics of the
<br /> profiles they studied, and they compared those profiles
<br /> Farming is the leading industry in Lamar and Delta with others in counties nearby and in places more dis-
<br /> Counties. About 77 percent of Lamar County and 83 taht. Thus, through correlation, they classified and
<br /> percent of Delta County is suited to cultivation. The aver- named the soils according to nationwide, uniform proce-
<br /> age farm size is 271 acres in Lamar County and 147 dures.
<br /> acres in Delta County. In recent years more people have After a guide for classifying and naming the soils was
<br /> been purchasing farms to supplement income from in- worked out, the soil scientists drew the boundaries of the
<br /> dustry, individual soils on aerial photographs. These photo-
<br /> The main farm enterprises are crops, livestock, dairy- graphs show woodlands, buildings, field borders, roads,
<br /> lng, and poultry. A few hardwood logs are harvested and other details that help in drawing boundaries accu-
<br /> each year. The main cash crops are cotton, soybeans, rately. The soil map at the back of this publication was
<br /> grain sorghum, corn, wheat, peanuts, and alfalfa. A large prepared from aerial photographs.
<br /> acreage of bermudagrass is cut for hay. The areas shown on a soil map are called soil map
<br /> Livestock operations are primarily cow-calf. Supple- units. Some map units are made up of one kind of soil,
<br /> mental feeding Is generally heavy from December to late others are made up of two or more kinds of soil, and a
<br /> February or March. There are few commercial feedlots in few have little or no soil material at all. Map units are
<br /> these counties, discussed in the sections "General soil map for broad
<br /> land use planning" and "Soil maps for detailed plan-
<br /> Natural resources ning."
<br /> While a soil survey is in progress, samples of soils are
<br /> Soil Is the most important natural resource in Lamar taken as needed for laboratory measurements hnd for
<br /> and Delta Counties. Forage for livestock and food, fiber, engineering tests. The soils ara field tested, and interpr'e-
<br /> and timber for market and home consumption produced tations of their behavior ara modified as necessary.
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