SOIL SURVEY OF BANNER COUNTY, NEBRASKA. 15 



in all parts of the county. Marsh grasses are found only in the 

 poorly drained flood plains of Pumpkin Creek. The yield of hay 

 varies greatly in the different sections of the county and from year 

 to year. On the flood plains it ranges from 1 to 1| tons per acre. 

 In the upland the yields range from one-fourth to three-fourths ton 

 per acre, depending upon the rainfall. The upland hay is finer in 

 texture and is considered better in quality than that produced on 

 the flood plains. The greater part of the hay is fed during the 

 winter months to work stock and cattle. The average yield of wild 

 hay in 1918 is reported as 0.8 ton per acre. 



Sorghum, emmer, millet, and barley constitute the less important 

 grain and forage crops. They are grown in small patches on many 

 farms. Millet gives fair promise of becoming a good hay crop, as 

 it withstands drought well and good yields are generally obtained. 



Garden vegetables can not be successfully grown unless artificially 

 watered. A very small quantity of fruit is grown. The severe 

 climate and the late spring frosts generally injure the trees, and 

 fruits in general are not suited to local conditions. Plums and apples 

 are the most dependable of the tree fruits and gooseberries and cur- 

 rants of the small fruits. Wild plums, wild grapes, and buffalo 

 berries are the principal native fruits. 



By far the greater part of Banner County is used as grazing land 

 and live-stock raising is the most important industry. The value 

 of live-stock products in 1909 exceeded that of all crops combined by 

 about $2,000. The Nebraska State Board of Agriculture reports a 

 total of 714 milch cows in county in 1918, with a value of $64,260, 

 and 16,793 other cattle, with a value of $1,175,510. The number of 

 horses in the same year was 5,084 valued at $457,560, and the number 

 of mules 175, valued at $17,300. The number of hogs was 1,610, with 

 a value of $48,300, and there were 1,429 sheep, valued at $17,124. 



Stock raising is highly profitable, as the animals generallj' are 

 free from disease. Cattle and horses are the chief sources of income. 

 A small herd of horses is raised on nearly every farm and most 

 farmers have a sur]3lus for sale. The stock has been improved from 

 the western broncho to medium draft horses weighing 1,000 to 1,200 

 pounds. The Percheron is recognized as the best breed under 

 existing conditions. The horses are seldom fed grain during the 

 winter, but are allowed to run on the range, except in the severest 

 weather, when they are driven into shelter and fed hay. Many of 

 the horses are sold to buyers who come into the county. The most 

 popular breeds of cattle are the Hereford and the Shorthorn. Very 

 few of the animals are purebred, but the herds are almost in- 

 variably headed by a purebred male. The ordinary farmer keeps 

 20 to 30 head of cattle, but many ranchere have several hundred. 

 The stock is usually sold in the fall when 2 or 3 years old, going to 



