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PHILLIPS COUNTY, COLORADO
<br />Figure 5. Profile of a Haxtun loamy sand.
<br />Extending into the sandhills of the southeastern part is a
<br />considerable acreage in broad swale or valley areas.
<br />In a typical profile the surface layer is grayish -brown
<br />loamy sand about 9 inches thick. It is easily worked. The
<br />next layer is grayish -brown sandy loam about 3 inches
<br />thick.
<br />The subsoil is about 21 inches thick. The upper part is
<br />dark grayish -brown sandy loam. The middle part, which
<br />is the upper part of an older, buried soil, is dark grayish -
<br />brown clay loam about 7 inches thick. The lower part of
<br />the subsoil is light brownish -gray loam, also about 7 inches
<br />- thick. The subsoil is hard when dry and friable or very
<br />friable when moist. The underlying material is loamy and
<br />rich in lime.
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<br />These soils take in water rapidly to very rapidly and
<br />have rapid internal drainage. Available water holding ca-
<br />pacity is high in the subsoil. Because the surface layer has
<br />rapid permeability, there is little runoff. Natural fertility
<br />Is moderate to high, but these soils are subject to soil blow-
<br />ing unless they are protected by growing crops or crop
<br />residue.
<br />Almost all the acreage of Haxtun soils is cultivated.
<br />Sorghums, winter wheat, barley, and corn are grown in
<br />many areas. The few fields still in native blue grama,
<br />needle- and - thread, and western wheatgrass are grazed.
<br />Typical profile of a Haxtun loamy sand, in a field of
<br />winter wheat (600 feet south and 300 feet west of the north-
<br />east corner of section 10, T. 8 N., R. 45 W.) :
<br />Ap-0 to 9 inches, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) very light loamy
<br />sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist; weak, fine, granular structure; soft when dry,
<br />very friable when moist; noncalcareous ; clear, smooth
<br />boundary.
<br />A13-9 to 12 inches, grayish -brown (10YR 5/2) sandy loam,
<br />very dark brown (10YR 2/2) when moist; weak,
<br />coarse, subangular blocky structure; slightly hard
<br />when dry, very friable when moist; noncalcareous;
<br />clear, smooth boundary.
<br />132t -12 to 19 inches, dark grayish -brawn (10YR 4/2) sandy
<br />loam, very dark grayish ,brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist; moderate, medium, prismatic structure that
<br />breaks to moderate, medium, subangular blocky; hard
<br />when dry, very friable when moist; thin, patchy clay
<br />films on both vertical and horizontal faces of peds;
<br />noncalcareous ; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />II132tb -19 to 26 inches, dark grayish -brown (IGYR 4/2) clay
<br />loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) when moist;
<br />strong, medium, prismatic structure that breaks to
<br />moderate to strong, fine, subangular blocky; hard
<br />when dry, friable when moist; moderate, continuous
<br />clay films on both vertical and horizontal faces of peds;
<br />streaks of very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist, in this horizon; noncalcareous ; clear, smooth
<br />boundary.
<br />II133tb -26 to 33 inches, light brownish -gray (10YR 6/2)
<br />heavy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) when
<br />moist; weak to moderate, medium, prismatic structure
<br />that breaks to weak to moderate, medium, subangular
<br />blocky; hard when dry, friable when moist; .thin,
<br />patchy clay films on both vertical and Ihorizontal faces
<br />of peds; streaks of very dark grayish brown (10YR
<br />3/2) ; noncalcareous ; gradual, smooth boundary.
<br />IIC1ca"3 to 50 inches, white (10YR 8/2) silt loam or loam,
<br />pale brown (10YR 6/3) when moist; massive (struc-
<br />tureless) ; slightly hard when dry, very friable when
<br />moist; moderate accumulation of visible lime, chiefly
<br />In finely divided forms; very strongly calcareous;
<br />gradual, smooth boundary.
<br />IIIC2ca -50 to 60 inches, light -gray (10YR 7/2) sandy loam,
<br />dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) when moist; massive
<br />(structureless) ; slightly hard when dry, very friable
<br />when moist; strongly calcareous but visible lime is
<br />less than in horizon above; few soft concretions of
<br />lime.
<br />The A horizon ranges from 6 to 15 inches in thickness and
<br />from sandy loam to loamy sand in texture. The 132t horizon
<br />ranges from 5 to 15 inches in thickness and from clay loam
<br />to sandy clay loam in texture. Depth to the buried soil ranges
<br />from 12 to 24 inches.
<br />Haxtun soils are closely associated with the Julesburg soils.
<br />The subsoil in Haxtun soils is more clayey than that in Jules -
<br />burg soils, which do not have a distinct, dark buried layer.
<br />Also, the Haxtun soils have a distinct lime zone, which is
<br />lacking or very weak in the Julesburg soils.
<br />Haxtun loamy sand, 0 to 3 percent slopes (HtB) is in
<br />broad areas in the north- central, northwestern,, and
<br />southeastern parts of the county. The areas of this soil are
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