The soils of Kentucky, except the strips of alluvial land along the banks of the rivers, have been formed from the decay of the underlying rocks. This feature gives the soils a more local char acter than have those north of the Ohio, where glaciers brought new materials. The best soils are the alluvium in the bottom lands along some of the larger rivers and the soils of the blue or Ordovician limestone found in the Blue Grass region. The soil within a radius of some tom. around Lexington is especially rich and is not surpassed for endurance. The soil next in fertility, ex tending over a large area in the central and western part of the State, is the sub-carboniferous limestone, or "cavern limestone," as it is commonly called. The soils of the Highland Rim plateau, as well as of the lowland west of the Tennessee river, vary greatly, but the most common are a clay, containing more or less carbonate of lime, and a sandy loam. On the escarpment around the Blue Grass region the soils are for the most part either cherty or stiff with clay and of inferior quality. On the mountains and on the Allegheny plateau, also, much of the soil is very light and thin.
The climate is somewhat more mild and even than that of the neighbouring States. The mean annual temperature, about 50° on the mountains in the south-east, and 6o° west of the Tennessee, is about 55° for the entire State; the thermometer seldom reg isters as high as ioo° or as low as —1o°. The mean annual pre cipitation ranges from about 38in. in the north-east to coin. in the south, and is about 46in. for the entire State; it is usually distributed evenly throughout the year, and very little is in the form of snow. The prevailing winds blow from the west or south west, rain-bearing winds blow mostly from the south, and the cold waves come from the north or north-west. In April or May these cold waves often destroy orchard blooms that have started too early, and they have been disastrous to the fruit industry in recent decades.
posed by a three-fifths majority in each house, and are also sub ject to popular approval. The executive is composed of a gov ernor, a lieutenant-governor, a treasurer, an auditor of public ac counts, a register of the land office, a commissioner of agriculture, labour and statistics, a secretary of State, an attorney-general and a superintendent of public instruction. All are chosen by popu lar vote for four years and are ineligible for immediate re-election. If a vacancy occurs in the office of governor during the first two years a new election is held; if it occurs during the last two years the lieutenant-governor serves out the term. While the governor's control of patronage is not extensive and his veto power weak, he has considerable power in appointing members of important com missions. He may veto any measure, including items in appropria tion bills, but the legislature can repass such a measure by a simple majority of the total membership in each house.
Legislative power is vested in a general assembly, which con sists of a senate and a house of representatives. Senators are elected for four years, one-half retiring every two years; repre sentatives are elected for two years. There are 38 senators and representatives. The senate sits as a court for the trial of im peachment cases. A majority of either house constitutes a quo rum, but ordinary bills, on the third reading, not only must receive a majority of the quorum, but that majority must be at least two fifths of the total membership of the house. For the enactment of appropriation bills, and bills creating a debt, a majority of the total membership in each house is required. All revenue measures must originate in the house of representatives, but the senate may introduce amendments. There are many detailed re strictions on local and special legislation.
The judiciary consists of a court of appeals, circuit courts, quarterly courts, county courts, justice of the peace courts, police courts and fiscal courts. The court of appeals is composed of seven judges, elected one from each appellate district, for a term of eight years. The senior judge presides as chief justice. The coun ties are grouped into judicial circuits, those containing a popu lation of more than 150,000 constituting separate districts ; each district has a judge and a commonwealth's attorney. The county officials are the judge, clerk, attorney, sheriff, gaoler, coroner, surveyor and assessor, each selected for four years.