SOIL SURVEY OF LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA, 33 



as the southeast corner of sec. 18, T. 74 N., R. 3 W., a layer of coarse 

 gray sand is observed between the silt loam surface layer and the 

 silty clay su*bsoil. Along the county ditch in sees. 32 and 33, T. 74 

 N., R. 3 W., a small strip of the type is mapped within an area of 

 Bremer silty clay loam. This has been formed within the last few 

 years by overflow from a very small ditch that was constructed to 

 carry the water from an upland creek and was too small for the 

 purpose. 



The Bremer silt loam occurs on the level terraces, usually nearer 

 the upland than the first bottom. It is the best drained, naturally, 

 of the Bremer soils, and tiling and ditching in most places have rem- 

 edied any defect in drainage. 



The total extent of the type is not great, but most of it is in culti- 

 vation, the remainder, excluding that used for building sites and 

 farm lots, being in pasture. Corn is the principal crop, followed by 

 oats, hay, and wheat. Corn yields range from 30 to 75 ])ushels, 

 with an average of 45 bushels, per acre; oats yield 35 to 80 bushels, 

 with an average of 50 bushels; hay 1 to If tons, with an average of 

 1| tons ; and winter wheat from 10 to 40 bushels, averaging 25 bushels. 



Land of this type sells for $145 to $220 an acre, with an average 

 of about $160 an acre. 



The soil is farmed under the ordinary methods prevailing through- 

 out the country. The usual number of live stock is kept. Like the 

 other types of the series it could be improved by the more extensive 

 use of lime, the growing of legumes, and deep plowing. 



BREMER SILTY CLAY LOAM. 



The surface soil of the Bremer silty clay loam is a black silty clay 

 loam extending to a depth of 15 inches, underlain by a dark-brown 

 very heavy silty clay loam to silty clay. This passes into a typical 

 silty clay, dark brown in color, but mottled with brownish yellow 

 and bluish gray. The dark brown soon disappears and the bluish 

 gray becomes lighter and more predominant with depth. Iron 

 concretions are generally found in the lower subsoil, which is very 

 heavy and plastic. A few small patches where the surface has been 

 overlain with sand to a depth of 2 to 3 inches are included with the 

 type. Both this soil and the Bremer clay are known to some farmers 

 as "gumbo'' and to others as "black muck." 



The type occurs on the terraces near the upland bluff. It usualh^ 

 adjoins one of the other Bremer types, or the Buckncr loam, Wau- 

 kesha silt loam, or Lindley silt loam. The type has a level surface 

 and lies slightly lower than the surrounding soil, unless the latter 

 happens to be the Bremer clay. Drainage is naturally poor, but can 

 be improved artificially. 



