30 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THH BUREAU OK SOn.S, 1910. 



is lime of the original ilrii't whieh has not been leached out. In 

 phices the surface soil is sulHciently calcareous to effervesce with acid, 

 but as a rule the lime is not abundant in tlie material within '20 inches 

 of the surface. T^ime concretions and small shells are abundant in 

 the newly (lraine<| ^oij. 



The local variations that occur in the tyjx' arc due mainly to dif- 

 ferent conditions of drainage.. As a rule the lower areas that have 

 the most ivstricted draina<;e have accumulated a lar^jer amount of 

 or^^anic matter, and the l>lack color of the soil extends to a <;reater 

 depth, in some places to more than 3 feet. Small si)ots of Peat and 

 Muck, too small to indicate separately, have been included on the 

 soil map within areas of this type. In some of these hnv areas the 

 soils are heavier in texture than on the surrounding higher land, 

 owing to washing in of fine material. These clay areas, too small to 

 map. are scattered throughout the type and are locally known as 

 '' gumbo." 



In the narrow draws and sloughlike areas of tlie morainic region 

 the subsoil below 30 inches usually consists of layers of coarse 

 gravelly material, grayish in color. The depth of the black surface 

 and subsurface layer varies from place to place, ranging from 15 

 inches to 3 or 4 feet. 



The interstream area between Eagle Creek and White Fox Creek, 

 in the southern part of Dayton and the northern part of Woolstock 

 Township, mapped as AVebster silty clay loam, while lying flat, con- 

 tains a higlwr percentage of silt and sand in the surface layer and 

 consequently is slightly lighter in texture than the typical soil. 



The Webster silty clay loam usually occupies depressed areas on 

 the flat interstream divides, which were formerly in a swamp con- 

 dition or covered at times by shallow water. They also occur in the 

 morainic area, lying in undrained sloughs and flats between the hills. 



The drainage is naturally poor but has been improved by ditching 

 over the greater part of the area. Large oi>en drainage ditches, 

 8 to 15 feet deep, furnish outlets for the tile drains. Owing to the 

 impervious character of the subsoil these lateral drains should not 

 be more than 40 feet apart. 



When properly drained and handled this is one of the most pro- 

 ductive soils in the county. It has a higher plant-food reserve than 

 any other type. Puddling and baking, with consequent clod forma- 

 tion, will result if the ground is plowed when wet. In dry seasons, 

 if the surface is not stirred frequently, large cracks develop in the 

 fields with injury to crops. While the greater part of the soil is 

 under cultivation, a considerable area is yet undrained and is used 

 for hay and jjasture land. Practically all the wild hay produced 

 in the county is harvested from this type. 



