26 



FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. 



farming the soil seems somewhat less retentive of moisture than the 

 Tripp soil or upland soils such as the Sidney loam and silt loam, 

 and it is a little more susceptible to drifting than these Sidney types. 

 HoweA^er, in favorable seasons good yields of wheat and other crops 

 adapted to this region are obtained. 



The following table gives the results of the mechanical analyses 

 of samples of the soil and subsoil of the Cheyenne very fine sandy 



loam: 



Mechanical analyses of Cheyenne very fine sandy loam. 



CHEYENNE LOAM. 



The Cheyenne loam consists of a light-brown, fine-textured loam, 

 10 to 15 inches deep, underlain by a grayish or yellowish, friable 

 calcareous loam. A porous layer of unconsolidated sand and gravel 

 is encountered at a depth of about 3 feet. This type does not differ 

 materially from the fine sandy loam and very fine sandy loam of the 

 series, except in the texture of the surface soil. 



The type is widely distributed throughout the county, but is con- 

 fined to the valleys of the larger draws, where it occurs as narrow, 

 elongated strips conforming with the direction of the drainage. It 

 is derived from the older alluvial wash which fills the valleys and 

 occupies low terraces lying 6 to 10 feet above the drainage channels. 



The surface is nearly level, but has sufficient slope to allow much 

 of the rainfall to run off. Owing to the porous character of the 

 gravelly subsoil the underdrainage is rather free. 



The valleys are comparatively narrow, and the areas of this soil 

 are irregular in width and extent, owing to the meandering of the 

 drainage channels, so that most of the land is unsuitable for ex- 

 tensive farming. The areas are not favorably situated for irriga- 

 tion, and the soil has a tendency to be droughty. Very little farm- 

 ing has been attempted. The type supports a good growth of native 

 grasses and is valued chiefly for pasture. 



LAUREL VERY FINE SANDY LOAM. 



The Laurel very fine sandy loam is a light yellowish brown or 

 dark-grayish, slightly coherent very fine sandy loam, underlain at 

 depths of about 3 feet or less by coarse sand and gravel. The soil ma- 

 terial commonly becomes lighter in color with depth, as the organic- 



