24 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. 



substratum. There are bowlders or gravel on tlie surface in places. 

 The principal areas are mapped near Beatrice, Oster School, Hays 

 School, and 2 miles east of Flint Lake. 



The topography is quite steeply rolling to rough and hilly, so that 

 only small areas are suitable for cultivated crops. The surface drain- 

 age is good to excessive, but washing is only sliglit because of the 

 coherent nature of the soil and the protection afforded by grasses and 

 timber. The phase is inextensive in Porter County. In a few small 

 fields in the smoother parts corn, wheat, and oats are grown. Pos- 

 sibly 20 per cent of the type is forested. A part of it is utilized for 

 hay production but most of it is in pasture. Crop yields are low. 



This phase is valued at about $75 an acre. Its best use is for 

 hay production or permanent pasture. 



CROSBY SILT LOAM. 



The Crosby silt loam consists of a light grayish brown, friable silt 

 loam, underlain at about 8 inches by a friable silt loam subsurface 

 layer, which is usually light gray to almost white in color. The 

 subsoil is a mottled light-gray, yellow, and brown, heavy, plastic 

 clay. The surface of tliis type when dry is very light colored. 

 Sometimes a distinct subsurface layer is lacking, but the subsoil 

 is always mottled light gray, and is more compact and impervious 

 than the corresponding material in the typical Miami silt loam. 

 Some local spots are included where the texture of the surface soil 

 is lighter than a silt loam. 



The largest and most typical areas of the Crosby silt loam are 

 found in the moraine north and northeast of Chesterton. Other 

 areas occur in slight depressions in the gently undulating land east 

 and south of Flint Lake, where there are also areas too small and 

 indefinite to map. 



In general the topography is gently undulating to flat, and the 

 areas are lower than the surromiding soils. The surface drainage 

 is not well developed; in a few cases artificial drainage has been 

 provided. The heavy, impervious subsoil prevents underdrainage, 

 and the mottling of the subsoil is present even on slopes. 



This type has a small total area. The greater part of it is utilized 

 for crop production and pasture. Possibly 10 or 15 per cent of the 

 type is forested, the principal trees being oak and hickory, with 

 some elm, ash, and pin oak in more poorly drained situations. 



Oats, wheat, and hay are more important crops than corn on the 

 Crosby silt loam, and dairying is the most important live-stock 

 industry. Under average conditions oats yield about 30 bushels, 

 wheat 15 bushels, and rye 12 bushels per acre. Timothy yields 

 over 1 ton of hay per acre. This soil is cold and late, and corn 

 planting frequently is so delayed that the crop can hardly mature 



