State Soil of Mississippi

MS Natural Resources
State Soil of Mississippi
By USDA - NRCA
Apr 20, 2008, 23:24 PST

The State Soil of Mississippi

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Natchez Soil Profile

Surface layer: dark grayish brown silt loam
Subsurface layer: brown silt loam
Subsoil: yellowish brown silt loam
Substratum: yellowish brown silt loam

Natchez soils are along the bluffs of the Mississippi Delta and are throughout the full length of the state.

In 1988, the Professional Soil Classifiers Association of Mississippi selected Natchez silt loam to represent the soil resources of the state. Natchez soils occur on 171,559 acres in Mississippi.

Natchez soils formed in very deep loess under a woodland environment and a climate that was warm and humid. These soils are used mostly for woodland and pasture. They are fertile and have a site index of 90 to 100 for loblolly pine and 105 for cherrybark oak, ash, and sweetgum. In less sloping areas, pasture and row crops are grown and the soils are very productive when good management is applied.

The Natchez series was designated the official state soil of Mississippi by the State Legislature on March 13, 2003.

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