AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION

SOILS.

The parent material all over the district is Deccan trap. The soils which are derived from the Deccan trap vary in their characteristics according to their location in the respective catchments. While the deep black soils occupy the low lying areas, the brownish soils, comparatively coarser in texture occur on the higher elements of relief. The reddish brown coarse textured soils locally known as barad or murmad occur at still higher elevations. The medium black soil which is the predominant type occurs extensively in different parts of the district and differs considerably in depth and fertility from the typical alluvial black soils of the Wardha valley. The reddish brown soils of lighter type occur mainly in Kelapur, Darwha and Wani tahsils.

In 1908 the fields in the district were classified, not as having particular kinds of soil, but as having productive capabilities of so many annas as compared with the sixteen-anna quality. Three defects, common all over the district, were then noted. They were, (1) a mixture of nodular pieces of limestone (chun-khadi), (2) a sloping surface (utarwat) and (3) excessive admixture of sand (walsar).

Some terms are in common use among the cultivators of the district. Thus, black soil is known as kali. It is sometimes called gawhali or gawhari, if the land is suitable for wheat. This type of soil is very fertile. Red soil is known as tambadi or sometimes tambari and soil of a light colour is pandhari. Soil containing nodules of limestone is called chunkhadi or if the limestone is very excessive bharki. Soils which are found on the hills are generally called bardi. Sometimes such soils arc-also known as murmad as the muram sub-soil is quickly reached in it. Low-lying land retentive of moisture is sometimes called lavan and the light soil halki.

Some typical soil profiles were examined in the district. The analytical data and the profile description of those samples are given below.

TABLE No. 2

ANALYSIS OF SOIL PROFILES IN YEOTMAL DISTRICT

The soils in the district are slightly alkaline in reaction, clay-loam in texture, and contain calcium carbonate to an appreciable extent. The divalentions constitute more than 90 per cent of the total exchangeable bases. Chemical analysis of the soils in Yeotmal district is given below.

TABLE No. 3

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SOILS IN YEOTMAL DISTRICT

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