22 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. 



Corn, oats, and potatoes are the most important crops ou this type. 

 Beans and garden crops are grown to a small extent. Yields in gen- 

 eral are lower than on the Gloucester soils. 



Land values on this soil are rather variable, prices quoted by 

 farmers ranging from $15 to $65 an acre. The roads are hilly and in 

 need of improvement in grades and otherwise before heavy produce 

 can be economically transported. 



HINCKLEY FINE SAND. 



The Hinckley fine sand consists of a rather light broAvn to dark- 

 brown fine sand, 6 to 10 inches deep, underlain by a subsoil and 

 substratum of light-brown fine sand. In exposed situations the soil 

 is subject to wind erosion and drifting. Deep holes or "blowouts" 

 occur in places. The type is locally known as " Bunker Prairie." 



The Hinckley fine sand occurs mainly in the south-central part of 

 the county, in a few fairly large areas in Grow, Anoka, Blaine, and 

 Fridley Townships, and in Bethel Township in the north-central 

 part. In general the surface varies from gently rolling to rather 

 sharply rolling. Some small areas are broken and hilly, as a result 

 of the drifting of the sand, and over these the surface is broken 

 by " blowouts." The type is almost everywhere thoroughly drained, 

 and much of it is droughty. In the lower lying areas but little 

 elevated above the Peat land the water table is normally near the 

 surface, and the moisture conditions are more favorable for crop 

 growth. 



Only a small proportion of the Hinckley fine sand is in cultivation. 

 The remainder supports a forest growth consisting largely of scrub 

 oak. with an undergrowth of sand cherry, chokecherry, and coarse 

 sand grasses. Corn, oats, clover, and potatoes are grown on the better 

 areas of the type. Crop yields are rather uncertain, but in some 

 years fairly good yields are obtained. 



Land values on this type range from less than $10 to more than 

 $40 an acre. The roads on this soil are usually loose and difficult to 

 travel. 



Owing to its light, sandy texture, this soil can not be extensively 

 farmed without the incorporation of manure, straw, Peat soil, or 

 green cover crops to serve as a binder. Under present conditions 

 the cleared areas should be kept in tame grasses as much as possible 

 and used as pastures in order to fill the soil with grass roots and 

 prevent drifting. 



MERKIMAC LOAMY SAND. 



The Merrimac loamy sand consists of a brown to very dark brown 

 loamy sand, 10 to 18 inches deep, underlain by a brown loamy sand 

 subsoil and substratum. The surface material in places appears almost 



