SOIL SURVEY OF LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA. 35 



BUCKNER SAND. 



The Buckner sand tliroughout the 3-foot sortion is a brown, 

 medium sand, gra^nsh brown when dry. The only chango in the 

 3-foot section is a tendency toward a shghtly hghter color in the 

 lower part. In some places the soil is rather loamy, and much of it 

 has considerable fine interstitial material, though not enough to 

 change the texture. 



This is a terrace t\pe, lying above overflow. It occurs to some ex- 

 tent about 4 miles north of Colum])us Junction, but its princi]ml occur- 

 rence is on the Great Sand Mound in the northeastern corner of the 

 county. iVlong the eastern slope of the mound there is a consider- 

 able acreage (approximately 60 acres) in which the soil is looser than 

 typical and gives evidence of being sliifted from year to year more 

 than the remainder, though all of it is likely to blow to some extent. 

 The surface here has a considerably lighter appearance, owing, in 

 part at least, to the fact that it supports no vegetation. 



The topography of the Buckner sand is level or gently rolling. 

 Drainage is ample, the greater part of the rain water sinking into the 

 ground where it falls. Owing to the porosity, the type is easily 

 affected by drought. 



Of the part of the type that occurs on the Great Sand Mound over 

 half is not cultivated. Some areas now unused may have been in 

 cultivation previously and abandoned on account of the blowing of 

 sand or unprofitable yields. The part in cultivation is principally 

 devoted to corn. The type elsewhere in the county is nearly all in 

 cultivation, the chief crops being corn, rye, and truck. Corn ranges 

 in yield from 15 to 35 bushels, averaging 20 bushels per acre. 



While some of the land on the eastern slope is practical!}^ worth- 

 less, in general the land of this type brings an average price of $65 

 an acre. 



For the improvement of the Buckner sand it is necessary to add all 

 the organic matter possible by the use of barnyard manure and the 

 turning under of green manures. The growing of winter cover crops 

 will materially assist in pr(^^ enting drifting. 



BUCKNEK FINE SAND. 



The Buckner fine sand is a brown fine sand, with a grayish tinge 

 when dry. The only change throughout the o-foot section is a 

 slightly lighter color with more of a 3'ellowish-brown tinge below 28 

 inches. The type is subject to drifting before the wind to a certain 

 extent. 



This soil occurs on the terraces of the Iowa River, generaU} near 

 the first bottom, though in a few instances it is mapped on low ridges 

 near the upland north and northeast of Fredonia. It occurs in rather 



