The Soils of Marion County
AIKEN CLAY LOAM (A)
The largest areas of Aiken Clay Loam are just south and southwest of Salem. The relief ranges from rolling to rough and broken. Most of the areas now under cultivation occur on the smooth tops of rolling hills and have good air drainage which is very essential in the production of fruit crops. The soil has excellent surface and subsurface drainage. It is high in colloidal clay, yet is usually friable and can be readily put in good tilth.
Prunes, walnuts, cherries, small fruits (especially strawberries), wheat, and oats are the principal crops grown on this soil.
AMITY SILTY CLAY LOAM (Ac)
Amity Silty Clay Loam occupies flat or very slightly undulating areas usually between associated flat and more rolling lands. In the Willamette Valley, this soil is referred to as “half-white land” as it is intermediate in color and in drainage between the brown Willamette soils which have excellent drainage and the gray Dayon soils which have poor drainage.
Large areas of this soil occur in all parts of the Valley floor, and in the vicinity of Salem.
The principal crops grown are wheat, oats, oats and vetch for hay, red clover, corn, barley, potatoes, flax, and small fruits. Wheat yields from 20-30 bushels an acre, oats average about 40 bushels, and clover yields from 1-3 tons. The soil has fair or good fertility and responds well to treatment. Its first requirement is drainage.
AMITY SILT LOAM (Am)
This is a fairly extensive soil. Large areas are located between Salem and Mount Angel, and south of Gervais. Amity Silt Loam occurs in flat or slightly undulating areas having only fair natural surface drainage.
The soil is moderately productive and, where properly farmed, gives very satisfactory yields. Practically all the farm crops common to the region are grown, including wheat, oats, corn, vetch, clover, small fruits, hops, flax, and some orchard fruits. Where drainage has been provided, this soil is adapted to the growing of truck and dairy feed crops.
CARLTON CLAY LOAM (Cn)
This soil occurs mainly south of Salem. A large part of the land is under cultivation, mainly to prunes, cherries, wheat, oats, corn, and small fruits. The soil is only moderately productive. It requires drainage and replenishment of the organic matter. It responds readily to such treatment and is adapted to a wide range of crops. As a whole, this soil is of minor agricultural importance being utilized mostly for pasture during a few months of the year.
CHEHALIS CLAY LOAM (Ch)
Small areas of this soil occur south and west of Salem. The crops grown most extensively are hops, prunes, peaches, Logan blackberries, wheat, oats, corn, and clover, with smaller amounts of strawberries, blackberries, flax, alfalfa, potatoes, pears, apples, and filberts. Dry hops yield from 1,500-2,500 pounds to the acre, prunes from 1-2 tons of dried fruit, wheat from 20-40 bushels, potatoes from 150-250 bushels, strawberries from 40-80 crates of 24 boxes, or 24 pounds each.
CHEHALIS LOAM (Cl)
A long narrow wedge of this type of soil lies just north of Salem, east of the river. The land is undulating or rolling, and some channels pass through it. The soil is well-drained except when subjected to overflow for short periods of high water.
Most of the land is under cultivation. Some is covered by an undergrowth of brush and trees of fir, maple, oak, and Balm of Gilead poplar. The principal crops are hops, corn, barley, wheat, potatoes, and strawberries. Hops yield from 1,000-2,000 pounds dry weight to the acre, corn from 25-50 bushels, barley from 25-45 bushels, wheat from 20-40 bushels, potatoes from 150-250 bushels, strawberries from 40-80 crates of 24 boxes, or 24 pounds each.
CHEHALIS SILT LOAM (Co)
One of the largest areas is east and south of Wheatland Ferry, north of Salem. The main crops grown are hops, prunes, alfalfa, flax, vetch and oats for hay, corn, blackberries, and apples. The soil is suitable for almost all crops grown in the County, and is very productive. It is one of the best soils for hops, flax, and alfalfas.
CLACKAMAS GRAVELLY CLAY LOAM (Cy)
Clackamas Gravelly Clay Loam has a flat or slightly undulating surface, fair or poor surface drainage, and poor sub-drainage. It occurs along Mill Creek between Salem and Turner.
Where proper drainage has been provided, the soil seems to be productive. Wheat, oats, corn, beans, flax, oats and vetch and oat for hay, with some clover, are grown. Wheat averages 20 bushels, oats 30 bushels, and corn 50 bushels to the acre.
Dairy farming is one of the important industries. Much of this soil is provided with sub-irrigation which is helping in the production of many types of crops.
CONCORD CLAY LOAM (Cd)
This soil occupies flat or depressed, poorly drained areas, to the south-southeast of Salem in a thin wedge.
Concord Clay Loam is under cultivation to a wide range of crops, including corn, wheat, oats, oats and vetch hay, clover, potatoes, blackberries, and strawberries.
COVE CLAY (Cc)
This soil occurs in low, flat places near streams and lakes, and is the most poorly drained soil in Marion County. The surface is practically flat, and water stands on it during a large part of the wet season. Seepage from higher ground keeps the land wet late in the season after better-drained soils have dried. A large body of this soil occurs north of Salem.
Owing to the impervious clay subsoil, tile drains do not function well. Surface drainage is the practical method of removing the water. Tile drains are used to intercept the water from higher ground. Ground that has been drained is used for oats and vetch for hay, oats, corn, and alsike clover.
NEWBERG FINE SANDY LOAM (N)
This soil generally occurs along the riverbanks at low elevation. It is frequently overflowed and continually reworked by the water. The land is rolling and is cut in many places by stream washes. Surface drainage is good, except when the land is covered by high water for short periods. Most of the soil lies from 15-30 feet above the level of the river. Extensive areas of this soil occur along the Willamette River north and southwest of Salem.
The main crops are prunes, hops, peaches, strawberries, Logan blackberries, corn, wheat, oats, clover, alfalfa, walnuts, filberts, and truck crops, and some tulip and other bulbs are grown. This is the most favorable soil for peach-growing because it is tillable early in the season and easily worked.
NEWBERG SANDY LOAM (Ny)
This soil occurs along streams or stream channels, and lies at elevations ranging from 15-30 feet above the river level. Most of the land is covered by water during flood periods, and the surface soil has been reworked to some extent. Except when overflowed by flood water, the soil is well-drained. The loose sand in the subsoil prevents the rise of capillary moisture, so that the land tends to be dry, especially where the gravel is near the surface.
Prominent areas of this soil occur in Mission Bottom from Wheatland Ferry southward to the vicinity of Spongs Landing (in a small area west of the southernmost part of Salem).
Important crops are prunes, hops, Logan blackberries, wheat, oats, corn, potatoes, peaches, small fruits, truck crops, and nursery stock. Crop yields are probably slightly lower than on Newberg Fine Sandy Loam.
NEWBERG SILT LOAM (Ns)
This soil occurs along the Willamette River in the Mission Bottom area north of Salem.
This land is under cultivation to hops, prunes, wheat, barley, peaches, strawberries, cane berries, walnuts, cherries, clover, corn, and truck crops. Barley and other cereals are also grown in this soil.
OLYMPIC CLAY LOAM (OI)
Olympic Clay Loam is in a broad belt between Salem and the southern boundary of the County. The surface relief ranges from hilly to steep and broken, but most of the soil occupies low, rounded hills.
In the Red Hills area south of Salem, mainly orchard crops such as walnuts, cherries, apricots, prunes are grown. The soil produces yields similar to those obtained on Aiken Clay Loam. Some of this soil has been farmed approximately 85 years, and where it has been continually cropped to wheat the yields have been reduced considerably.
PEAT (P)
Peat, locally known as “beaver-dam soil”, consists mainly of accumulated organic matter in various states of decomposition. The main area of peat extends northeast from Chemawa Indian School and is known as Lake Labish. This area is about 9 miles long and ranges in width from an eighth to a quarter of a mile. The surface of the Lake Labish peat is practically level. Onions, celery, peppermint, and to a small extent, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, peppers and beets are grown on this soil.
SALEM GRAVELLY LOAM (Sa)
Salem Gravelly Loam is similar to the Camas soils, but it occurs at higher elevation, usually from 25-50 feet above the water. There is a small area just to the south of Salem, and another small area just to the north of Salem.
This soil is moderately productive, and farm crops commonly grown in the county are produced.
Orchards give fair returns when properly managed under favorable conditions of moisture and fertilization, the soil is well suited to potatoes, clover, and truck crops.
SIFTON GRAVELLY LOAM (Sn)
This soil generally occurs at an intermediate elevation between that of Sifton Gravelly Very Fine Sandy Loam and Clackamas Gravelly Clay Loam and has some characteristics of each of these soils. This is not extensive soil, some occurring in a few small areas between Salem and Turner.
Main crops grown are truck crops, principally strawberries. Prunes, wheat, and oats are also produced. The soil has average or medium fertility. It is dry, but has a better water-holding capacity than Sifton Gravelly Very Fine Sandy Loam as it has a higher content of silt and clay. For best yields it must have supplemental irrigation during the dry season.
WILLAMETTE CLAY LOAM
Willamette Clay Loam occurs east and northeast of Salem. This soil is similar to Willamette Silt Loam in relief, drainage, and productivity. It is adapted to wheat, oats, corn, red clover, small fruits, and orchards. It has been farmed for a great many years to wheat and oats and, therefore, much of it is lacking in active organic matter. Where this is supplied, yields are very satisfactory. Wheat yields on this soil range from about 25-40 bushels, and oats from 40-70 bushels to the acre.
WILLAMETTE SILT LOAM (WI)
Willamette Silt Loam is one of the most extensive soils in Marion County. It is closely associated with the Amity soils into which it grades, and may include some undifferentiated areas of those soils. The surface is slightly rolling or undulating, and drainage is well-developed. There is some on the eastern fringes of Salem, although most of it is more easterly in the rural areas.
Willamette Silt Loam is recognized by local farmers as one of the best soils in the county for general farm crops. Wheat, oats, and clover are the main crops; and a large amount of corn is also grown. Other crops are prunes, peaches, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, potatoes, flax, peppermint, Logan blackberries, gooseberries, grapes, cherries, walnuts, filberts, hops, nursery stock, and truck garden produce.
Compiled by Cynthia Harvey and Monica Mersinger
Bibliography:
“A Long Range Plan For Salem, Oregon – First Annual Progress Report”
Compiled by the Long Range Planning Commission of the Salem Chamber of Commerce, January 1, 1947
Appendix: The Soils of Marion County
This article originally appeared on the original Salem Online History site and has not been updated since 2006.
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