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14 <br />SOIL SURVEY <br />irregular in shape, and they range from 5 to nearly 700 <br />acres in size. The smaller areas extend southeastward. <br />Included with this soil in snapping were small areas of <br />Ascalon sandy loam that generally are gently sloping. <br />Also included were areas of gently sloping Valentine fine <br />sand and Julesburg loamy sand. Small areas of sloping <br />Haxtun soil, less than 5 acres in size, also occur on convex <br />hills or ridges. <br />This nearly level Haxtun soil absorbs water rapidlyy and <br />has moderate available water holding capacity. Soil blow- <br />ing is likely unless the soil is protected, but there is little <br />or no runoff. <br />This soil is suitable for dryfarming, irrigation farming, <br />or range. In the dryfarmed fields, stubble -mulch tillage, <br />use of crop residue, and wind striperopping are helpful in <br />controlling soil blowing. Because the surface layer is low <br />in organic- matter content and available nitrogen, addi- <br />tions of fertilizer are required. In years of normal precipi- <br />tation, crops respond well if nitrogen fertilizer is added. <br />Sprinkler irrigation generally works best on this sanely <br />soil because it requires light, frequent irrigations for good <br />results. <br />Grasses grow well on this soil if the surface is moist and <br />well covered with litter that forms a mulch before seeding. <br />Grasses should be well established before they are grazed. <br />Then, proper range use can be obtained if fences, water, <br />and salt are well distributed and grasses are grazed by the <br />right number of livestock at the proper season. Capability <br />units IIIe -3 (dryland) and IIIe —G (irrigated) ; Sandy <br />Plains range site; windbreak suitability group 2. <br />Haxtun loamy sand, 3 to 5 percent slopes (HtQ occurs <br />in areas that are mostly in the northwestern part of Phil- <br />lips County. This soil is similar to Haxtun loamy sand, 0 <br />to 3 percent sloes, but it is more sloping and occupies nar- <br />row ridges or side slopes that trend southeastward. <br />Included with this soil in mapping were small areas of <br />Ascalon and Julesburg soils that are moderately sloping. <br />A few limestone outcrops are in the northwestern part of <br />the county. These spots are shown on the soil map by <br />symbol. <br />This Haxtun soil is suitable for grazing and for limited <br />cultivation. Small grain, corn, and sorghums are suitable <br />crops; almost all of the acreage is cultivated. <br />Soil blowing is the main hazard. In the dryfarmed fields, <br />stubble -mulch tillage or use of crop residue and wind <br />striperopping generally are helpful in controlling erosion. <br />Close - growing crops hold the topsoil in place better than <br />row crops. In irrigated fields sprinkler irrigation is <br />probably best, but the water should be applied at frequent <br />intervals. Because the sandy surface layer is low in <br />organic - matter content, crops respond well to nitrogen <br />fertilizer in moist years. <br />Areas that remain in grass should be protected from <br />overgrazing because the surface layer eventually erodes <br />after plant cover is lost. Eroded areas can be easily re- <br />seeded if the soil is moist and has a good cover of litter. <br />Then, deferred grazing is required until the grasses are <br />well established. A way to aid in obtaining proper range <br />use is by spacing fences, watering points, and salt so that <br />the range is more evenly grazed. Grazing should be al- <br />lowed only during the proper season so that the grasses <br />recover and make seed. Capability units IVe -3 (dryland) <br />and IVe -5 ( irrigated) ; Sandy Plains range site; wind- <br />break suitability group 2. <br />Haxtun sandy loam, 0 to 3 percent slopes (HxB) oc- <br />cupies areas in the north - central, northwestern, and south- <br />eastern parts of the county. Except for having a sandy <br />loam surface layer, the profile of this soil is similar to the <br />one described as typical for the series. <br />Included with this soil, where sandy lands and hard - <br />lands merge, were small areas of Rago and Puma soils. <br />This Haxtun soil is suited to grass or to dryfarmed <br />and irrigated crops. The practice of following small <br />grain or sorghums with summer fallow provides a <br />suitable cropping sequence. Row crops grow well if the <br />soil is irrigated. The surface layer is rapidly permeable, <br />and the clay loam subsoil stores water well. The surface <br />layer, however, is low in organic - matter content, and this <br />soil responds well to additions of nitrogen fertilizer in <br />years when precipitation is normal. <br />Almost all the acreage is cultivated. In dryfarmed fields <br />working crop residue into the soil, stubble -mulch tillage, <br />and wind striperopping generally protect against soil <br />blowing. In irrigated fields working crop residue into the <br />soil and leveling that allows the water to spread uniformly <br />are helpful in controlling erosion and maintaining fertil- <br />ity. Careful management of irrigation water is required. <br />Irrigated pasture or hay plants grow well in this soil. <br />Grazing rangeland at the right season for a specified <br />period insures an adequate grass cover for controlling ero- <br />sion. A good way to force cattle to graze the entire range <br />more evenly is by fencing separate areas and by providing <br />well - placed watering points and salt blocks. Capability <br />units IIe -1 (dryland) and IIe-3 (irrigated) ; Sandy <br />Plains range site; windbreak suitability group 1. <br />Julesburg Series <br />The Julesburg series consists of deep, nearly level or <br />gently sloping, sandy soils that are well drained. These <br />soils are chiefly in the northwestern and southeastern parts <br />of the county. They normally occupy flats or narrow, <br />ridgelike areas that trend to the southeast. They are be- <br />tween or adjacent to areas of Valentine or Haxtun soils. <br />In a typical profile Julesburg soils have a loamy sand <br />plow layer about 11 inches thick. It is grayish brown in the <br />upper part and dark grayish brown in the lower part. The <br />plow layer is free of lime and easily worked. <br />The subsoil is about 17 inches thick. It consists of dark <br />grayish - brown sandy loam in the upper part and pale - <br />brown loamy sand in the lower part. The subsoil is soft <br />when dry and very friable when moist. <br />The underlying material is pale -brown loamy sand. It <br />has been reworked locally by wind and water and, in some <br />places, is slightly limy below a depth of I feet. <br />Because surface drainage channels are lacking or poorly <br />established, these soils have very little runoff. Internal <br />drainage is rapid, available water holding capacity is low, <br />and fertility is moderate. <br />The native vegetation is mainly sandreed, needle -and- <br />thread, and grama grasses. Cacti, yucca, and sages also <br />grow well, especially where the soils have been overgrazed. <br />About 50 percent of the acreage is farmed, mainly to win- <br />ter wheat. The rest is used for pasture and hay. In addi- <br />tion to winter wheat, some corn, sorghums, dryfarmed <br />alfalfa, and sweetclover are also grown. <br />