4 DRY-LAND GRAINS FOR NORTH AND SOUTH DAKOTA. 



the subject is obtained. These results are submitted in the hope that 

 they will be of immediate use to farmers, who, in many cases, come 

 from the Eastern States, where the rainfall is abundant, and are 

 unfamiliar with conditions in this area. 



SOIL. 



It has been the plan in locating these experiment farms to obtain, 

 as far as possible, representative conditions of both soil and climate, 

 in order that the results may be applicable to a large area. 



BELLEFOURCHE. 



The soil of the Belief ourche experiment farm is a very heavy clay 

 called "Pierre clay" by the Bureau of Soils; to farmers and stock- 

 men it is familiarly known as "gumbo." It is chiefly characterized 

 by its stickiness when wet and by its imperviousness to water, espe- 

 cially after the surface becomes wet. It contains a fair amount of 

 humus and appears to be rich in the essential elements of plant food. 

 From a practical farmer's standpoint, its chief disadvantages are 

 that it is very heavy and therefore expensive to work, and that it is 

 necessary to work it when it contains the proper amount of moisture. 

 From the behavior of the crops, this soil seems to be very retentive 

 of moisture and is productive when properly handled. 



Table I shows the results of a mechanical analysis of Pierre clay." 

 Its characteristic stickiness is perhaps explained by the large percent- 

 age of clay and silt, amounting to 35 and 4.3.2 per cent, respectively. 



Table I. — Composition of Pierre clay as determined by mechanical analysis. 



Per cent. 



Fine gravel 0.2 



Coarse sand 1.1 



Medium sand 1. 4 



Fine sand 5.5 



Very fine sand 13.0 



Silt 43. 2 



Clay 35. 



The Pierre clay passes gradually into a clay shale, which is found 

 at a depth varying from a few feet to several hundred feet. This 

 type of soil is found extensively in South Dakota west of the Mis- 

 souri River, and in a few areas not covered with the glacial drift 

 east of the river. It also extends into Montana and Wyoming. 



The field in which the greater part of the experimental work herein 

 reported has been conducted seems to be well adapted to the purpose. 

 Check plats have been used in all plantings when practicable to do so, 

 and in most cases it has been found that there is little variation in 

 different parts of the field. 



«Soil Survey of the Bellefourche Area, Advance Sheet, Field Operations, 1907, 

 Bureau of Soils, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 

 [Cir. 59] 



