36 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1918. 



small areas, and is generall}' surrounded by Buckner fine sandy loam. 

 The topography is undulating and drainage is adequate. Owing to the 

 porosity of the entire 3-foot section and the substratum, crops are 

 apt to be affected by drought. 



The total extent of the type is not great, and it is not very produc- 

 tive. I\ one of it is forested. The greater part of the type is in culti- 

 vation, mainly to corn and rye. One or two small areas are devoted 

 to growing catalpa trees for fence posts. Corn yields range from 20 to 

 35 bushels, averaging 25 bushels, per acre, and yields of rye from 5 to 

 20 bushels, aA^eraging 10 bushels. 



While no farm lies wholly on this type, it is estimated that the 

 price ranges from $60 to $140, with an average of $90 an acre. 



The use of barnyard manure, the turning under of green-manure 

 crops, and the use of winter cover crops are recommended for the 

 improvement of this type. 



BUCKNER FINE SANDY LOAM. 



The Buckner fine sandy loam is a brown fine sandy loam through- 

 out the 3-foot section, except for a slightly lighter and more yellowish- 

 brown color and a very slightly coarser (though still a fine sandy 

 loam) texture below 30 to 32 inches. The 3-foot section is very 

 uniform wherever the type occurs in this county, except that two 

 or three sandy loam areas are included on account of their small 

 total extent. A few swales occupied by the Bremer silt loam, silty 

 clay loam, or Buckner loam also are included. 



This type occurs in numerous relatively small areas near the mar- 

 gin of the terraces adjoining the first bottom in the Iowa River Val- 

 ley. One area, comprising about 40 acres, is mapped on the Great 

 Sand Mound, where it is surrounded by Buckner sand. Generally 

 the type adjoins the Buckner fine sand, Buckner loam, Waukesha 

 silt loam, or Bremer silt loam. In the latter two cases it generally 

 occupies a ridge at a slight elevation above the surrounding type. 

 The topography is level to undulating, and drainage is adequate. 



The total extent of the Buckner fine sandy loam is small, though 

 it is a fairly valuable soil. In the immediate vicinity of Wapello 

 some of the type is used for the production of beans and sweet corn, 

 but elsewhere it is devoted to the general farm crops. Owing to its 

 relatively coarse texture, the type is seldom used in the production 

 of hay. The farms which include it have pasture and meadow on 

 other soils. Corn ranges in yield from 25 to 40 bushels, averaging 

 30 bushels, per acre; oats from 20 to 50 bushels, averaging 30 bush- 

 els; winter wheat 10 to 25 bushels, averaging 20 bushels; and rye 

 8 to 23 bushels, averaging 12 bushels. 



Land of this type sells for $115 to $180 an acre, with an average 

 of $125. 



