42 
SOIL SURVEY OF JACKSON COUNTY 
Topography and drainage.—The topography of this soil is 
level, the only variations being where streams have cut across 
the terraces to the river bottom or at the abrupt rises from one 
terrace level to another. Where specially marked, the terrace 
intervals are indicated by cross-lining over the color represent¬ 
ing this soil. 
Because of its generally loose and open character and the 
porous condition of the subsoil, this soil is generally well 
drained, and water passes through it so readily that crops are 
liable to suffer for lack of water in any spell of dry weather. 
Present agricultural development .—This soil is an extensive 
type in the central part of the county. Large parts of it remain 
uncultivated. The cultivated portion is occupied largely by 
Polish people or Indians who cultivate small tracts. The vege¬ 
tation of the uncultivated portions consists of small scrubby 
oak, Jack and Norway pine, poplar, birch, oak, cherry. Sweet 
fern and blueberry brush cover the ground. 
From twenty to thirty per cent of the type has been cleared 
and cultivated at one time, but a considerable number of 
farms have been abandoned, and no crops are being grown upon 
them at the present time. The chief crops grown at the pres¬ 
ent time and the yields secured during the most favorable years 
are as follows: Corn, 15 to 25 bushels; oats, 20 to 25 bushels; 
buckwheat, 12 to 16 bushels ; and potatoes, 100 to 150 bushels 
per acre. Potatoes form the chief cash crop, and do better 
than any of the other crops grown. 
In a few cases white beans are grown on this soil, and the 
yield is as high as ten bushels per acre in favorable seasons. 
Cucumbers are grown to some extent in the vicinity of Hatfield. 
The yields of all crops vary greatly with character of the season, 
and the treatment given the soil. Under most favorable condi¬ 
tions, very fair yields of clover and of mixed alsike clover and 
rye hay are obtained; frequently fair corn is grown. But the 
failures of crops are frequent on this soil, and because of the 
poor pasture afforded, this soil is not well adapted to dairy or 
general farming. 
Some of the Polish farmers maintain a considerable number 
of young stock by grazing them over large areas of this brushy 
undeveloped soil, and on the flat shallow marshes which lie at 
the borders of this type of soil. It is very difficult, however, 
