SOIL SURVEY OF BANNER COUNTY. NEBRASKA. 53 



lighter in color than the soil and highly calcareous. Over small 

 areas the soil contains a larger proportion of fine and medium sand 

 than is typical and approaches a loamy fine sand in texture, and in 

 places there is so little fine material present that the soil is subject 

 to wind erosion when plowed. 



This type is not extensive in Banner County, although it occupies 

 a larger acreage than any of the terrace or first bottom soils in the 

 area. It occurs chiefly as a narrow, elongated strip, varying in width 

 from a few rods to three- fourths of a mile, along both sides of Pump- 

 kin Creek. Smaller bodies are mapped along the larger tributaries 

 to this stream. The type is composed of sediments carried down 

 from the adjoining uplands and deposited along stream channels 

 when they were flowing at a higher level than at present. It repre- 

 sents terrace material in an advanced stage of weathering. 



In the western part of the county, about 3 miles west of Bull 

 Canyon, there is a small body which does not show evidence of 

 alluvial origin. It has a typical Tripp profile, however, and so was 

 included with the series. 



The topography of the Tripp fine sandy loam is almost flat, the 

 surface sloping gently down the valleys and toward the stream 

 channels. Drainage is good, the slope being sufficient to carry off 

 the surplus surface water and the subsoil structure favoring under- 

 drainage. 



The type is not an important agricultural soil in the county, 

 chiefly on account of its small extent. ■ About 20 per cent of it is 

 under cultivation and the rest is used for pasture and hay land. 

 Sand grass, grama grass, buffalo grass, and a small amount of western 

 wheat grass comprise the native vegetation. 



The soil is well adapted to all crops common to the region. Wheat, 

 rye, oats, com, potatoes, and alfalfa are the leading crops. A few 

 farmers grow small patches of millet, sorghum, and emmer for feed. 

 Wheat and rye are the principal cash crops. Oats, corn, and alfalfa 

 are produced primarily as feed for stock. Potatoes are grown only 

 for home consumption. As on most of the soils of Banner County, 

 the grazing of live stock is the principal industry, and beef cattle 

 and horses are raised extensively. There are a few milk cows, chiefly 

 of the beef breeds, on every farm. 



The yields of the grain crops are about the same as those obtained 

 on the Tripp very fine sandy loam. Potatoes yield 75 to 150 bushels 

 per acre, depending upon the season. Alfalfa, which is cut twice, 

 gives a total average yield of 2 tons per acre. 



Crop rotation is not practiced, and no fertilizer is used, as the soil 

 is new and in no immediate danger of becoming exhausted. 



The land is either plowed in the fall and seeded to winter wheat or 

 stirred as soon as the frost is out of the ground in the spring and 



