24 GUIDEBOOK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES. 
one above the other, separated by softer shales. All these beds dip 
to the west and are thus crossed in turn by the railway.* 
In this valley there is a notable difference in character between the 
bottom lands, which have a deep, rich soil, and the adjoining slopes, 
where the soil is much thinner and is in many places interrupted by 
the rock outcrops. The valley lands are nearly all in a high state of 
cultivation, yielding a great variety of farm products. At many 
farms the traveler will see the round towers, mostly of concrete, 
known as silos, in which corn leaves and stalks and other similar green 
materials are kept green and moist to serve as winter fodder for stock. 
FIGURE 4.—Section across Cottonwood Valley southwest of Elmdale, Kans. Shows the terrace or ste 
produced by ron — beds and the meee slopes composed of shales. Cm, Matfield shale; el. 
Wreford limestone; Cg, Garrison formation; Cc, Cottonwood limestone; Ce, Eskridge shale; Cn, Nev 
limestone; Ced, "Elmdale formation. 
Between Clements and Cedar Point there are many shallow cuts in 
the shales overlying the Cottonwood limestone. At 
Cedar Point. Cedar Point the Wreford limestone is crossed, but it 
gma soe is exposed only in a few ledges in the slopes north of 
the track. 
A short distance east of Florence a large crusher north of the rail- 
road is working the Florence flint and overlying Fort Riley limestone 
for road material 
! The following list shows the beds included in the Permian series in central Kansas, 
also their character and average thickness near the Santa Fe Railway: 
Formations of Permian age in central Kansas. 
Sunaner group: Feet. 
Wellington shale: Red and gray shales 350 
Marion formation: Limestone and shale with gypsum and salt 
Ba SII NN rs os aie es as BS eon a 160 
Chase group: 
Winfield formation: Cherty limestone in part and shale... ... 25 
Doyleshale: Shale with thin beds of limestone................ 60 
Fort Riley limestone: Buff limestone = aile! 40 
Florence flint: Limestone, very cherty....................... 20 
Matfield shale: Shale and limestone...........- - 65 
Wreford oie Buff cherty limestone 45 
Garrison formation: Shales and limestone............-. 2.2.2.2... 145 
Cottonwood ceuaune: ~~ lored ive limest 8 
