CEREALS AT THE AKRON FIELD STATION 5 
Nebraska, and northwestern Kansas. ‘This district is a rolling prairie, 
which roughly outlined lies between the thirty-eighth and forty-third 
arallels of latitude and between the one hundred and first and one 
undred and fifth meridians. In elevation, it les between the 3,500 
and 5,500 foot contours. The only important river traversing the dis- 
trict is the Platte, the waters of which during the summer months are 
often reduced to the proportions of a creek. The water supply is 
almost entirely from wells, which vary in depth from afew to several 
hundredfeet. Insome localities water has not been found at any depth. 
Geologically, the district in which the station is located was once 
a part of the bed of a Cretaceous sea. The soil contains numerous 
deposits of various fossils which add to the natural fertility. The 
rolling character of the surface is partially due to the action of wind. 
Although vegetation retards such action, soil movements due to wind 
are still in progress, especially in the more sandy sections. Depres- 
sions formed by wind often have no drainage outlet. The result of 
combined natural forces has produced a sandy soil, often of consider- 
able depth, deficient in humus. 
In a few localities the subsoil differs widely from the surface soil. 
Clay is sometimes found only 1 or 2 feet below the surface. To the 
experienced eye the natural vegetation is an indicator of the char- 
acter of the soul.5 Any examination of the soil of this region is in- 
complete until a few holes have been dug to a depth of several feet. 
An estimate based on the figures of the census of 1920 places the 
propo of cultivated land in the section in which the Akron Field 
tation is located at between 25 and 50 per cent of the total area, and 
the proportion in cereals at about 60 per cent of the cultivated area. 
The percentage of cultivated land can be further increased; but the 
possible extension of cultivation in some sections is limited, as the 
very sandy lands should not be broken on account of soil blowing. 
The soil of the station and of the adjacent territory is classed as 
sandy loam. To the north and west of this section the soil is of a 
lighter and more sandy type. Various local names are used to dis- 
tinguish the soil types, those most commonly used being “hard land’”’ 
for soil such as is found at the Akron Field Station and ‘soft land’’ 
for that of the more sandy type. The surface of the field station 
ranges from nearly level to slightly rolling. There are no protecting 
hills. However, the forestry shelter belt on the west, north, and 
east sides of the station has afforded some slight protection for ad- 
jacent land during the past few winters. 
Considerable variation exists in the soil used for experimental pur- 
poses, but by the replication of plats and the use of check plats the 
effects of these variations have bean overcome to some extent. At 
the Akron Field Station the dark surface soil usually varies from 1 to 
2 feet in depth, below which the soil is of a light color, owing to lack 
of organic matter. Little coarse gravel is present in the soil of the 
experimental areas, and there is no impervious layer near enough to 
the surface to affect root development or water movements. Plowing 
and other tillage operations are easily performed when the soil is 
moist but become very difficult when the moisture content is low. 
Spring winds are a factor to be considered, as the fine soil particles 
are readily blown by the wind when the soil is dry. 
5 Shantz, H. L. Natural vegetation as an indicator of the capabilities of land for crop production in the 
Great Plains area. U.S. Dept. Agr., Bur. Plant Indus. Bul. 201, 100 p., 23 fig., 6 pl. 1911. 
