THE FARGO CLAY LOAM. 13 



silty or mucky surface soil, which is more friable and less compact 

 than the general average of the type. 



Practically no fruit crops are grown and the type is not well suited 

 to orcharding. 



Garden vegetables for home use might be grown much more ex- 

 tensively upon the Fargo clay loam. The early varieties of sweet 

 corn, garden peas, cabbages, lettuce, radishes, and onions are all 

 suited to production upon this type, and upon the more mucky por- 

 tions the production of cabbages, onions, and celery upon a com- 

 mercial scale would be easily possible after proper tile drainage had 

 been installed. 



Owing to the heavy surface soil and dense subsoil and to the 

 considerable undramed areas of the Fargo clay loam, clover is not 

 entirely successful upon this type. Artificial drainage, successfully 

 installed, would make clover production possible, and excellent crops 

 are now grown upon those portions of the type which are most 

 favored with natural drainage. The principal seeding to tame 

 grasses at the present time is to timothy, usually unmixed with any 

 other species. The calcareous nature of the subsoil would render 

 the Fargo clay loam an admirable type for the production of alsike 

 clover and the medium red clover where drainage was properly 

 provided. The former crop would undoubtedly be successful over 

 the best drained areas of the type as it exists. 



FARM EQUIPMENT. 



The Fargo clay loam is usually occupied by farms of considerable 

 area. A quarter section of 160 acres constitutes the usual unit in 

 the more closely settled areas, although a few 40's and SO's may be 

 found. In general, however, the single holding amounts to 320 acres 

 or more in the case of the individual farmer, and many farms of 

 8,000, 10,000, and even 15,000 acres, consisting principally of this 

 type, exist. In some areas, particularly in the more southern region, 

 where the Fargo clay loam is developed, these farms are fenced. 

 In the wheat-growing sections to the northward many of the farms 

 are not fenced at all, or inclosures are only made in the vicinity of 

 the farm buildings. Nearly every farm is improved by a dwelling 

 house and by barns and tool sheds adequate for housing the work 

 stock, the feed for such stock, and the more valuable tools. Horse- 

 power is principally employed in the tillage of this soil. Owing to 

 the large size of the farms, the level surface of the type, and the 

 custom of continuous grain growing, the smallest team usually con- 

 sists of four horses; the six-horse hitch is not infrequently used. 

 Upon the largest farms both plowing and harrowing are frequently 

 done by the use of the steam traction engine, and upon farms of all 

 sizes, large and small, gang plows are used for turning the soil. With 

 the steam power, heavy harrows of many sections are not infre- 



