24 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. 



This type is confined to the Lodgepole Valley, where it occurs as 

 alluvial terraces or benches lying 20 to 60 feet above the creek level. 

 The land is nearly level, but has sufficient slope to effect thorough 

 drainage. The topography is favorable for irrigation. 



The greater part of the Tripp very fine sandy loam is in cultiva- 

 tion, being farmed both by dry-land methods and under irrigation. 

 It seems to retain water better and has proved more productive 

 than the other valley soils. 



With irrigation both special crops and general farm crops are 

 grown. Irish potatoes, alfalfa, and sugar beets are the more im- 

 portant products, ranking in point of acreage in the order named. 

 Wheat, corn, and oats ar§ grown chiefly by dry-farming methods, 

 but to a small extent under irrigation. Cabbage and beans are 

 special crops grown on a small acreage. 



The yields of potatoes under irrigation range from about 150 to 

 175 bushels per acre. Sugar beets produce 8 to 10 tons per acre, and 

 alfalfa 3 to 4 tons from three cuttings per year. Wheat yields about 

 20 to 25 bushels under irrigation. Yields of 20 to 30 bushels of corn 

 are obtained when the season is favorable for maturing the grain, 

 although very little is grown. Under dry-farming methods the 

 yields of grain var}'^ widely, depending on the season. The land 

 apparently has about the same agricultural value as the Sidney 

 loam and silt loam of the table-land. 



The soil is loamy and easily tilled, but does not drift, its coherency 

 being sufficient to prevent this. It does not puddle to any serious 

 extent Avhen irrigated. No accumulation of alkali sufficient to cause 

 injury to plants has taken place. 



Land of this type of soil, under irrigation, has a selling price 

 of $60 to $75 an acre. 



CHEYENNE GRAVELLY SANDY LOAM. 



The Cheyenne gravelly sandy loam, to a depth of 4 or 5 inches, 

 consists of a light yellowish brown fine sandy loam containing vary- 

 ing quantities of gravel. The subsoil, beginning at a depth of a 

 few inches, is a porous mass of unconsolidated, grayish sand and 

 gravel, extending to depths of 3 to 10 feet. The soil contains only 

 a small admixture of organic matter. 



This type occurs as narrow strips of alluvial wash in the beds of 

 the larger draws, and also in filled channels of Lodgepole Creek. It 

 has no value for farming, either under dry-land methods or irriga- 

 tion. It supports a very sparse groAvth of grasses, sand grass being 

 the only species of much value, and it is therefore of little worth 

 even as grazing land. 



