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PHILLIPS COUNTY, COLORADO 17
<br /> If this soil is used as range, a good way to avoid over Loamy Plains range site and windbreak suitability groulli
<br /> grazing is by fenciiig separate areas and by providing 1; Eekley soils are in Gravel Breaks range site and wnid-
<br /> well-placed tivatering points and salt blocks. Reseeding break suitability-group 3.
<br /> overgrazed or eroded areas is a good practice,gilt gra'Llllg
<br /> should be deferred until the grass is well established. Ca- Pleasant Series
<br /> ll)ability units IIe-1 (drylandd) and IIe-2 (irrigated) ;
<br /> I-joamy- Plains range site; irilidbreak suitability group 1. The Pleasant series consists of deep,well-drained,loamy
<br /> Platner loam, 3 to 5 percent slopes (PaQ mainly oc- soils.These soils are nearly level and occur where interinit-
<br /> cupies ridges and convex Bills,but many areas border inter- tent streams are blocked by the sandhills in the loainy
<br /> inittent drainage--ays. The profile of this soil is similar uplands. Nearly all of the acreage is south and southwest
<br /> to the one described'as typical for the series,except that it of Holyoke where loamy soils border the sandhills.
<br /> contains more gra-vel and is more shallow to lime. In a typical profile the surface layer is soft, gray loam
<br /> Included with this soil in mapping mere small outcro11)s about 5 inches thick. It is easily worked.
<br /> of gravel and of caliche. These spots are shown on the The subsoil is about 47 inches thick. In the upper part
<br /> soil snap by symbols. Also included ivere small shots of it is gray silty clay loam that is hard «lien (Try and in
<br /> Eckley and Ascaloii soils. the middle part is grayisli silty clay or clay.At a depth of
<br /> This Platner soil is suited to cultivated crops,and nearly about 30 inches, the subsoil is an older, buried soil that
<br /> all of it is cultivated. Plowpans may form if this soil consists of extremely hard, Clark-gray clay and hard,pale-
<br /> is tilled-when wet;however,both irrigated and dryf armed brown silty clay loam or silt loam. The underlying inate-
<br /> crops common in the county are grown. Also suited is rial is pale-brown gravelly loamy sand. These soils are
<br /> grass on range, pasture, and hayland. In dryfarmed fields noncalcareous throughout.
<br /> stubble-mulch tillage and working crop residue into the Cultivation is limited by occasional ponding. Perine-
<br /> soil give protection against erosion and Help to maintain ability of the surface layer is moderate but doivnivarcl
<br /> fertility-. In the clryfarmecl fields, terracing is needed for movement of water through the subsoil is slow. These soils
<br /> controlling water erosion and conserving moisture. Irri- have high available tivater lnhe sug capacity and natural
<br /> gated areas need to be leveled so that water spreads uni- fertility.
<br /> fornily and is not wasted. In these areas, crop residue The native vegetation consists of blue grama, western
<br /> should be worked into the soil. Irrigated pasture or hay wheatgrass, and bufl'alograss. Snakeiveed is the inain IN-eed
<br /> plants grow well on this soil.
<br /> in o
<br /> Blue nraina western wheat�'rass and similar grasses overgrazed areas. About 80 percent of the acreage is
<br /> grow well oil rangeland.Proper range use can be obtained cultivated. Winter wheat, winter baI'ley, and sorghums
<br /> if feliCPS, %cater, and salt are located so that livestock are tile.maul crops.
<br /> graze the eaitire range evenly. This soil can be reseeded Typical profile of Pleasant loam in a pasture of native
<br /> easily if it is moist, and well covered with plant litter. grass (1,055 feet east,25 feet south of the northwest corner
<br /> Capability units IIIe 1 (dryland) and IIIe-=f (irrigated) ; of section 4,T.61.,R.45 W.)
<br /> Loamy Plains range site; windbreak suitability group 1. Al-0 to 5 inches, gray (10YR 5/1) loam, very dark brown
<br /> Platner-Eckle}- association, 3 to 5 percent slopes (10YR 2/2) when moist; strong, very fine, granular
<br /> (PeQ occupies long, narrow convex ridges or Torrid toll- structure; soft when dry, very friable when moist;
<br /> vex hills that trend to the southeast.The riches are irrema_ nonealeareous; pH 7.2; clear, smooth boundary.
<br /> lar in shape and range from about 3 to 40 acres in size.The P,1-5 to 9 inches, gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay loam, very dark
<br /> brown (10YR 2/2) when moist; moderate, medrtun,
<br /> Bills are generally- round and cover S to 15 acres. Platner prismatic structure that breaks to moderate, medium,
<br /> soils are oil the slopes,and Eekley soils are oil ridge crests subangular blocks; hard when dry, very friable when
<br /> and tops of hills.The two kinds of soils lire so closely asso- moist;noncalcareous;pH 7.2;thin,patchy clay films
<br /> ciated that it is not practical to map them separately. gradual,smooth boundary.
<br /> 11Iost areas of this association are east. of I3olyoke tl1011 h B21t-9 to 19 inches, gray (10yR 5/1) silty clay, very dark
<br /> g brown (10YR 2/2) when moist; strong,fine,prismatic
<br /> a feir areas are southwest of Holyoke near the western structure that breaks to strong, fine,angular blocky;
<br /> edge of the sandhills. very hard when dry,firm when moist;noncalcareous;
<br /> About 60 percent of this association is Platner soils, and pH 7.3; thick, continuous clay films; clear, smooth
<br /> the rest is Ecldey soils.Each kind of soil has a profile siuii 22— boundary.
<br /> 30 in
<br /> B�..t 19 to .,0 inches, grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) clay, -very
<br /> lar to the one described for its series. dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when moist; strong,
<br /> Because the Eckley soils are slialloR-to sand and gravel, fine, prismatic structure that breaks to strong, fine,
<br /> this association is not suitable for cultivation. Some areas angular blocky;very hard when dry,firm when moist;
<br /> noncalcareous; pH 7.4; thick, continuous clay films;
<br /> are cultivated, but it is advisable to reseed the cultivated the lower 5 inches of the layer has slightly weaker
<br /> fields with Native grasses, such as blue grama, western structure than tine upper part;clear,smooth boundary.
<br /> wheatgrass, side-oats graina, and little bluestem. Grasses B23tb-30 to 40 inches, dark-gray (10YR 4/1) clay, very Clark
<br /> can be established quickly if they are seeded when the soil brown (10YR 2/2) when moist; strong,fine, prismatic
<br /> structure that breaks to strong, fine, angular blocky;
<br /> is moist and has an adequate cover of plant litter. Grazing extremely hard when dry,-very firm when moist; non-
<br /> should be allowed only during the proper season and then calcareous; pH 7.6; thin, continuous clay films; clear,
<br /> be deferred so that the grasses recover before dormancy wavy boundary.
<br /> B3b-40 to 52 ruches, pale-brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam
<br /> in winter. The best way to obtain proper range use is and silt loam, brown (101R 5/3) when moist; struc-
<br /> by fencing the areas and by spacing salting blocks and wa- ture is moderate, fine, angular blocky and moderate,
<br /> tering points so that the animals graze the range evenly. medium, subangular blocky; hard when dry, -very
<br /> friable when moist; noncalcareous; pH 7.8; thin,
<br /> Capability unit V Ie-3 (dryland) ; Platner soils are in patchy clay films; clear, wavy boundary.
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