SOIL SURVEY OF ANOKA COUNTY, MINN". 21 



The Gloucester loam ranks high agriculturally. Owing to its 

 loanw texture it is easily cultivated, and it warms up fairly early 

 in the spring. Over 50 per cent of the type is under cultivation, 

 the remainder largely supporting a growth of oak, with some maple 

 and birch and an undergrowth of brush and native grasses. This 

 soil is used for the same crops and is handled in about the same way 

 as the Gloucester fine sandy loam. Its heavier texture allows some- 

 what wider latitude in plowing and cultivation, the type not being 

 so subjected to injury from wind erosion. 



Land values on this type range from $50 to $70 an acre. 



HINCKLEY GRA\T:LLY SANDY LOAM. 



The surface soil of the Hinckley gravelly sandy loam consists of a 

 rather light brown to dark-brown, gravelly sandy loam, 10 to 18 inches 

 deep. In the lower part the material is invariably of lighter color 

 than in the surface 5 or G inches. Gravel and bowlders are rather 

 abundant in some places, but occasionally they are almost lacking. 

 The subsoil varies in color from orange brown to light brown, and 

 in texture from a rather light clay to a rather open, sandy to sandy 

 and gravelly clay. In some areas it consists largely of sand and 

 gravel with variously sized cobbles and bowlders. In general it con- 

 tains clay enough to make it retentive of moisture. The gravel, cob- 

 bles, and bov.lders in this soil are invariably of crystalline rocks, no 

 calcareous material being encountered at any depth. This type dif- 

 fers from the Gloucester in containing more gravel and coarser sand 

 and in having a wider variation in composition, but as mapped it 

 includes some small areas of typical Gloucester soil. 



The Hinckle}'' gravelly sandy loam occurs in the extreme north- 

 western corner of the county. Its surface is rather rough and hilly, 

 being characterized by large and small Imolls, hills, and ridges with 

 intervening kettlehole depressions and large Peat marshes. The 

 topography is typical of a rather well developed moraine. The type 

 has thorough natural drainage, but is not markedly droughty, 

 although yields are often reduced to some extent by prolonged dry 

 weather. 



The Hinckley gravelly sandy loam ranks lower in agricultural 

 value than the Gloucester soils. Owing to its hilly surface it can in 

 most places be cultivated only in small, irregular fields, and large 

 horse-drawn implements can be used on only a few farms. Appar- 

 ently 10 to 15 per cent of the type is in cultivation, the remainder 

 being forested mainly with large oak, with some scrub oak and a 

 scattered growth of maple, birch, hazel, and other brush. Wild 

 vetch and grasses afford good grazing during the summer. Consid- 

 erable merchantable timber remains, and several portable sawmills 

 are in operati^pn in the forested areas. 



