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<br /> PHILLIPS COUNTY, COLORADO
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<br /> If this soil is used as range, a good way to avoid over- Loamy Plains range site and windbreak suitability roup
<br /> grazing is by fencing separate areas and by providing 1; Eckley soils are in Gravel Breaks range site and wind-
<br /> well-placed watering points and salt blocks. Reseeding break suitability group 3.
<br /> overgrazed or eroded areas is a good practice, but grazing
<br /> should be deferred until the grass is well established. In
<br /> pability units IIc-1 (dryland) and IIe-2 (irrigated) ; Pleasant Series
<br /> Loamy Plains range site; windbreak 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 intermit-
<br /> cupies ridges and convex hills,but many areas border inter- tent streams are blocked by the sandhills in the loamy
<br /> niittent drainageways. 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 gravel and is more shallow to lime. In a typical profile the surface layer is soft, gray loam
<br /> Included with this soil in mapping were small outcrops 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 leap d symbols. Also included were small spots of it is gray silty clay loam that is hard when dry and in
<br /> Eckley and Ascalon soils. the middle part is grayish 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 s011
<br /> is tilled when wet;however,both irrigated and clr farmed consists of extremely hard, dark-gray clay and hard,pale-
<br /> crops common in the count are grown. Also dry
<br /> Cited is brown silty clay loam or silt loam. The underlying in on range, pasture, and haylan . In dr farmed fields rial is pale-brown gravelly loamy sand. These soils are
<br /> stubble-mulch tillage and working crop residue into the noncalcareous throughout.
<br /> soil give protection against erosion and help to inaintain Cultivation is limited by occasional ponding. Perme-
<br /> fertility. In the dryfarmed fields, terracing is needed for ability of the surface layer is moderate, but downward
<br /> controlling water erosion and conserving moisture. Irri- movement of water through the subsoil is slow.These soils
<br /> s uni- have high available water holding capacity and natural
<br /> gated areas need to be leveled so that water spread
<br /> forinly and is not wasted. In these areas, crop residue fertility.
<br /> should be worked into the soil. Irrigated pasture or hay The native vegetation consists of blue grama, western
<br /> plants grow well on this soil. wheatgrass, and buffalograss. Snakeweed is the main weed
<br /> Blue grama, western wheatgrass, and similar grasses in overgrazed areas. About 80 percent of the acreage is
<br /> grow well on rangeland. Proper range use can be obtained cultivated. Winter wheat, winter barley, and sorghums
<br /> if fences, water, and salt are located so that livestock
<br /> are the main crops.
<br /> graze the entire 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-4 (irrigated) ; of section 4,T.6 N.,R.45 W.) :
<br /> Loamy Plains range site; windbreak suitability group 1.
<br /> Platner-Eckley association, 3 to 5 percent slopes Al-0 to 6 inches, gray n moist;
<br /> 5/1) loam, very dark brown
<br /> (PeQ occupies long, narrow convex ridges or round con- trust(10Y 2/2) when moist; strong, very fine, granular
<br /> vex hills that trend to the southeast.The ridges are irregu- structure;
<br /> t pH 72ar fevery
<br /> rer mooth bounds moist;
<br /> lar in shape and range from about 8 to 40 acres in size.The 131-5 to 9 inches, gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay loam, very dark
<br /> Bills are generally round and cover 8 to 15 acres. Platner brown (10YR 2/2) when moist; moderate, medium,
<br /> soils are on the slopes, and Eckley soils are on ridge crests Prismatic structure that breaks to moderate, medium,
<br /> and tops of hills.The two kinds of soils are so closely asso- moist; oncalcagular blocky;
<br /> usar H 7.2n thin,dry,very friable when
<br /> ciated that it is not practical to map them separately. gradul,smooth boundary. patchy clay films;
<br /> Most areas of this association are east of Holyoke,though B21t-9 to 19 inches, gray (10YR 5/1) silty clay, very dark
<br /> s few areas are southwest of Holyoke near the western brown (10YR 2/2) when moist; strong,fine,prismatic
<br /> edge of the sandhills. structure that breaks to strong, fine, angular blocky
<br /> About 60 percent of this association is Platner soils, and very hard when
<br /> continuous
<br /> � firm when
<br /> lay films; clear, smooth
<br /> the rest is Eckley soils.Each kind of soil has a profile simi- boundary.
<br /> lar to the one described for its series. B22t-19 to 30 inches, grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) clay, very
<br /> Because the Eckley soils are shallow to sand and ravel dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when moist; strong,
<br /> this association is not suitable for cultivation. Some areas fine,angular
<br /> loy- very hard structure twhen dr fihat breaks rm when strong,
<br /> oist
<br /> angular block
<br /> are cultivated, but it is advisable to reseed the cultivated noncaleareous; pH 7.4; thick, continuous clay films;
<br /> fields with native grasses, such as blue ,grams, western structurelower
<br /> than the u of the layer has slightly weaker
<br /> wheatgrass, side-oats graina, and little bltiestem. Grasses Peer part;clear,smooth boundary.
<br /> can be established quickly if they are seeded when the soil B23tb-30 to 40 inches, dark-gray (10YR Iron clay, very dark
<br /> brown (lOYR 2/2) when moist; strong,fine,prismatic
<br /> is moist and has an adequate cover of plant litter. Grazing structure that breaks to strong, fine, angular blocky;
<br /> should be allowed only during the proper season and then extremely hard when dry,very firm when moist; non-
<br /> be deferred so that the grasses recover before dormancy calcareous; pH 7.s; thin, continuous clay films;clear
<br /> wavy boundary.
<br /> in winter. The best way to obtain proper range use is 133b--40 to 52 inches, pale-brown (10YR 6/3) silty clay loam
<br /> by fencing the areas and by spacing salting blocks and wa- and
<br /> ure istmode'ate,fine,(angula5/3)
<br /> blocky and lmoder te,
<br /> tering Points so that the animals graze the range evenly. medium, subangular blocky; hard when dry, very
<br /> Capability unit VIe-3 (dryland) ; Platner soils are in friable when moist; noncalcareous; pH 7.8; thin,
<br /> patchy clay films; clear, wavy boundary.
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