28 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1919', 



Bluff County line. The largest area lies in tlie extreme northwestern 

 corner of Banner County. A smaller body occurs about So niiles 

 southwest of Flowerfield. 



The topography is gently undulating to rolling, by far the greater 

 part of the type being gently rolling. Drainage is everywhere 

 thorough and in a few places excessive, owing to the loose, porous 

 nature of the soil and subsoil. Stream channels are indefinite and it 

 is often difficult to trace them across the type. 



On account of its small extent the Rosebud fine sandy loam is of 

 no agricultural importance in the county. It is used entirely for 

 pasture and hay land. The native vegetation consists largely of 

 sand grass and stipa ; some yucca and sage brush are encountered on 

 the more sandy areas. Yields of one-fourth to one-half ton of hay 

 per acre are obtained in average years. The type will support 80 

 head of cattle per section, when used only for summer or winter 

 range, and about 40 head when grazed the year round. 



The selling price of the Eosebud fine sandy loam ranges from $10 

 to $25 an acre, depending upon the improvements. 



By growing crops requiring the minimum of cultivation it is pos- 

 sible that fair yields could be obtained. On the more nearly level 

 areas where the organic matter content is relatively high crops should 

 withstand drought better than on the heavier Rosebud types. In 

 cultivating great care should be taken not to stir the soil more than 

 is necessary, as it blows badly when not protected if finely pulver- 

 ized. 



ROSEBtTD VEKY FINK SANDY LOAM. 



The typical Rosebud very fine sandy loam is very similar in color 

 and other characteristics to the silt loam type. It differs chiefly in 

 having a slightly higher content of very fine sand in the surface 

 soil, which tends to make it less coherent in structure. The soil is a 

 brown to dark grayish brown, loose, friable very fine sandy loam, 3 

 to 12 inches deep. It is composed of the finest grades of sand and 

 there is usually present a considerable quantity of silt. The depth 

 and color of the surface soil depends largely upon its topographic 

 position ; it is deeper and darker on the more level areas, where un- 

 disturbed weathering has taken place and the accumulation of or- 

 ganic matter has been favored. 



The subsoil is a light-brown to ashy-gray silt loam, or silty clay 

 which gradually becomes lighter in color with depth, grading at 

 about 30 inches into a loose, floury white silt. In a few places the 

 upper stratum of the subsoil is slightly compact. Over small, patchy 

 areas the subsoil below 30 inches differs from the typical in having 

 a much larger percentage of very fine sand, sometimes approaching a 

 loamy very fine sand in texture. The surface soil is high in organic 



