The greater part of the Iredell clay loam occurs in the southern or southeastern corner of the County and occupies one large, irregular-shaped but generally connected area, extending from Leesburg, in a southeasterly and southerly direction along Goose Creek to the southern boundary of the County, the most typical development of the soil being at Waxpool.  The phase already described occurs in small, disconnected areas, usually quite far apart, the general relative direction of these areas being northeast and southwest.  They all lie in the intermediate valley of the Catoctin Belt, and are usually near the foot of the Blue Ridge or Short Hills.  The most typical development of this phase occurs just southeast of Bluemont.

Where rolling and sloping the surface drainage is good, the water passing rapidly from the surface into the numerous small streams flowing into Goose Creek, which is the main drainage way of this type.  In the low, flat lands the water stands or flows very slowly from the surface.  Owing to the impervious nature of the clay subsoil, underdrainage is very slow, and the land is often cold and sour.

Corn, wheat, and grass are the principal crops grown on this soil type, the average yields per acre being as follows:  Corn, from 20 to 40 bushels; wheat, from 8 to 15 bushels; and grass, from 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 tons.  Apples do fairly well.

The greater part of the type is tilled, while the uncultivated areas are used for pasturage and wood lots, the forest growth being black oak.  In dry seasons, where the soil covering is not deep, the land bakes and cracks, and in this condition it can not be cultivated.  In wet seasons the soil becomes too wet and sticky to work.

Penn Loam.

The Penn loam consists of from 8 to 12 inches of a dark, Indian-red loam, underlain by a heavier loam of the same color.  This peculiar red color is distinctive of the formation wherever found, and, consequently, the type is one easily recognized.  The texture of the type is very uniform, with the exception of a few small areas where the subsoil is a clay loam.  The soil is locally termed “red-rock land,” on account of the numerous small red sandstone fragments which occur in the soil and subsoil in quantities varying from 5 to 20 per cent of the soil mass.  The soil is free from large stones or other obstructions to cultivation.

This type occurs in several large, irregular areas on the Newark formation of the Piedmont Plateau in the eastern part of the County.  The areas have a general northeast and southwest trend.  A few small areas occur in close proximity to the larger ones.  One of the larger areas is situated just south of Leesburg, while another occurs east of Lucketts.