38 



FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1!)16. 



The Homer silt loam is mapped in the lake plain north of the 

 moraine, mainly south of the Calumet River, the largest area occur- 

 ring between Chesterton and Crocker. Other areas are mapped 

 northeast of Chesterton and northwest and northeast of Wheeler. 



The topography is flat, with only a few slight irregularities. This 

 soil is not reached by natural drainage ways, but ditches afford an 

 outlet for surface waters. The heavy clay subsoil and substratum 

 greatly retard underdrainage. 



This is one of the more extensive and important types in the 

 lake plain along the northern boundary of the county. Originally 

 it was covered with a forest of red, black, and pin oak and elm, 

 but with the exception of a few woodlots, it has all been cleared 

 and placed under cultivation. 



The Homer silt loam is a good grass and small-grain soil, and a 

 fair corn soil. Tlie average jdelds per acre are nearly 1^ tons of 

 timothy hay, 35 to 40 bushels of oats, 20 to 25 bushels of wheat 

 where the crop escapes winterkilling, and about 35 bushels of corn 

 when the season is not too wet. Most of the farmers keep a few 

 cows and ship milk to Cliicago. 



The value of this land depends largely upon the manner in which 

 it has been handled and improved. It is held at prices ranging 

 from SI 00 to $200 an acre. 



The principal needs of the Homer silt loam are improved drainage, 

 which would insure better corn crops in wet seasons and make it 

 easier to keep the land in good tilth, and an increase in the organic- 

 matter supply. 



The results of mechanical analyses of samples of the soil, sub- 

 surface material, subsoil, and lower subsoil of the Homer silt loam 

 are given in the following table : 



Mechanical analyses of Homer silt loam. 



NEWTON FINE SANDY LOAM. 



The Newton fine sandy loam consists of about 6 inches of mellow 

 loamy fine sand to fine sandy loam" grading into light grayish brown 

 or yellowish-brown loamy fine sand to fine sandy loam more or 

 less mottled with yellow and brown. The deep subsoil and sub- 

 stratum usually consist of yellowish-brown loose sand and gravel. 



