Show Soil I Color Tells i of Its Contents I Often Gives Clue to Pres Pres- Presence Pies Presence ence or Absence of Desirable Qualities Prepared Pr l b by th the United state StAtu Department D p or The color of soils Bolla Is often n a good clue to the presence or lack Inck of ot desir desIr- desIrable desirable desirable able qualities says Bays W 0 O Robinson of time tIle United States Department ot of AgrIculture Different colors in soils solIs ore are caused b by differences In composition composition composition tion hut but th the soli soil with the greatest amount of colored constituents as ns resealed re revealed I sealed b by analysis does not always have the deepest color because e the constituents of the soil soli are not always In proper combination to make them noticeable t I Dark Soil Productive A A black soil soli is usually a fI rich soil solI and in general the darker the soil oil the themore themore themore more productive It Is Black color In soils solIs Is due to organic matter In com com- combination combination with lime The actual quantity quan quantity of organic matter ma may he lie small but if Ir It is saturated with Ith lime or other bases It makes mal a most favorable condition for plant growth Organic matter also colors soils solis I brown Such soils solIs are generally acid and tile the organic matter while it It may maybe maybe be abundant al Is not saturated with lime A reddish color ordinarily indicates the presence of organic mat mat- matter mat 1 I ter and anti iron oxide Examples of such j I soils are arc the prized mahogany lands m i of the South Red Soils Rated High Red fled and yellow ellow soils owe their I IRed color Clor to the Iron oxide the they contain In the free state Experience has hasI shown that time the coloring matter is InI inthe In I the clay or finest matter In the soil This clay is largely made up of silica iron oxide water and or- or organic or organic ganic matter Time The color docs does not de- de depend de depend pend primarily upon the lie total quantity I of Iron present as the percentage or of orthis this mineral mineraI varies little in the cia clay of surface soils regardless of ot color Reddish soils are usually rated high for tor farming White or light-colored light soils are lre are not regarded favorably for farming ex- ex except ex except for special crops sas says Mr 11 Rob nob Robinson inson for such color shows a lack ot of important constituents er Very light light- light colored colored soils are generally sand sandy and contain neither the clay nor the or- or organic or organic ganic matter necessary to absorb and retaIn plant food and water |