SOIL SURVEY OF BANNER COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 37 



cut by, and include, numerous areas of other types of soils. One of 

 the more uniform and typical areas occurs north of Bull Canyon, in 

 the northwestern part of the county. The longest and most con- 

 tinuous strip borders the Rough broken land on the north side of 

 Pumpkin Creek. 



The topography varies from almost level, as in the flats, to steeply 

 rolling on the valley slopes. By far the greater part of the type 

 occurs as long gradual slopes from the upland to the creek and has a 

 gently rolling surface. The greatest relief is adjacent to areas of 

 Rough broken land, where the streams have cut deep, narrow valleys. 

 The area north of Bull Canyon presents an unbroken, almost flat 

 surface. 



Drainage is everywhere good and in a few places excessive. In the 

 level tracts there are often surface irregularities, such as washes and 

 gullies which carry off the surplus water. The loose, jwrous subsoil 

 affords ample underdrainage. 



The Epping very fine sandy loam is not as productive as most of 

 the soils on the table-land, but owing to its large extent is a very 

 important agricultural soil in Banner County. About 15 per cent 

 of it is under cultivation and the remainder is used for pasture and 

 hay land. The native vegetation consists of grama, buffalo, wire, and 

 western wheat grasses, together with the sedge blackroot, which 

 supply excellent pasturage, except during years of prolonged drought. 

 Of the cultivated crops, wheat, rj^e, oats, and corn are the most im- 

 portant. Wheat is the chief cash crop. It is all sold outside the 

 county. Rye ranks second as a cash crop, though some of it is fed 

 locally to stock. Most of the oats and corn are fed on the farms 

 where produced. 



Spring wheat is grown most extensively, though winter wheat is 

 increasing in acreage each year. Kherson and Swedish Select are 

 the chief varieties of oats. Flint corn is planted more extensively 

 than dent varieties. 



Stock raising is the principal source of farm income, and about 

 85 per cent of the land is devoted to this industry. Beef cattle are 

 raised almost exclusively, though every farmer has a few milk cows 

 and a small herd of horses. There are no herds of purebred cattle 

 on the type, but most of the stock shows large admixture of Hereford 

 or Shorthorn blood. The two-year and three-year old animals are 

 usually shipped in the fall and the rest kept on the range throughout 

 the year. Grain is seldom fed to any but the work stock. Hay is 

 added to the pasture ration during severe weather. 



Crop yields on this type are somewhat below the average for the 

 county, owing largely to the deficiency of organic matter, which 

 greatly reduces the water-holding capacity of the soil. 



