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f S A PHILLIPS COUNTY, COLORADO 7.—Profile of Valentine sand showing the thin surface layer structure that breaks to single grain (structureless) ; very soft when dry, very friable to loose when moist; gradual, smooth boundary. C-12 to 48 inches +, pale -brown (10YR 6/3) fine sand, dark brown (10YR 4/3) when moist; single grain (strue- tureless) ; loose when dry and moist; nonealeareous. The A horizon ranges from 0 to 6 inches in thickness. The thickest surface layers are in the least sloping areas. The Valentine soils are associated with the Julesburg soils. Valentine soils have a thinner surface layer than the Jules- burg soils and less clay in the underlying layer. Valentine soils are less well developed throughout the profile than the Julesburg soils and have less thickness of Clark soil material. Valentine fine sand, rolling (VaD) occupies most of the andhills that are southeast of Holyoke. This soil is asso- ciated with Hasten soils in some small areas in the north - central and northwestern parts of the county. Slopes are moderate to steep. The profile of this soil is similar to the one described as typical for the series. LIncluded with this soil in mapping were a few small 0wouts 1/ acre to 5 acres in size. These areas are shown e soil map by a symbol. 21 This Valentine soil is extremely droughty in dry years, mainly because it is excessively drained and low in avail- able water holding capacity. This soil has very rapid permeability. Growing in most areas are sandreed, sand bluestem, switehgrass, needle -and -thread, and other native mid and tall grasses. This soil is well suited to these plants, but grazing should be limited because of susceptibility to severe blowing. This soil can be reseeded with adapted spe- cies of native grasses, but the steep slopes snake manage- ment difficttit. A few small areas are cultivated, mainly for the purpose of squaring larger fields of other soils and leaking them easier to cultivate. Capability unit VIe- 2 (clryland) ; Deep Sand range site; windbreak suitability group 4. Valentine fine sand, hilly (VaE) occupies dunelike areas that have steep, abrupt slopes on the leeward side.. This soil is in the south-central and southeastern parts of the county. The surface layer of this soil is severely eroded, is very Clark grayish brown, and is as much as 2 inches thick. This soil is suited to native grasses, but extreme limita,- tions a•re needed to prevent overgrazing. Even though the plant cover generally is increasing, many areas are nearly bare. Revegetation is extremely difficult, though it can be clone through careful management of grass in blowouts and of annuals and yucca. This soil is droughty because it is very rapidly permeable, excessively drained, and low in available water holding capacity. Capability unit VIIe- 1 (dryland) ; Choppy Sand range site; windbreak suit- ability group 4. Wages Series The Wages series consists of deep, well -drained, loamy soils that are gently sloping to steep. These soils occupy the side slopes of intermittent streams (fig. 8), and most areas are along Frenchmanand Patent Creeks. Wages soils formed in a reddish -brown gravelly deposit. The upper part of the soil has been mixed with some windblown silty material. In a typical profile the surface layer is grayish -brown loam about 5 inches thick. The subsoil is about 11 inches thick. In the upper part it is Clark grayish -brown, slightly hard clay loam that is about 5 percent fine gravel. The lower part is limy, light brownish -gray clay loam that is about 5 to 10 percent fine gravel. At a depth of 16 to 24 inches is very strongly calcareous, light brownish -gray loam. Below this is light -brown gravelly sanely loam that is free of lime. Wages soils are moderately to slowly permeable and are well drained. Because they have a thin loam surface layer over a slowly permeable clay loam subsoil and are gently sloping to steep, surface runoff is medium to rapid. Because their subsoil is somewhat gravelly, they have moderate available water holding capacity. Wages soils are moderate in natural fertility. Along side slopes of intermittent streams are a few areas of Wages soils that are still in native grass, mainly western wheatgrass and blue grana. Grasses are better suited than row crops, and only a few acres are cultivated. These soils can be seeded to grass.