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6
<br />SOIL SURVEY
<br />Available water holding capacity is low, and natural fer-
<br />tility is moderate to low.
<br />The native vegetation includes needle-and-thread, lit-
<br />tle bluestem, big bluestem, sandreed, and switchgrass.
<br />Sand sage and yuc P are also cominon in some areas. An-
<br />selmo soils are best suited to pasture and meadow of native
<br />hay. In dryfarmed fields the main crops grown are corn
<br />and sorghums. Because the salty layer is directly under
<br />the subsoil, alfalfa does not grow well.
<br />Typical profile of Anselmo loamy fine sand, marly sub-
<br />stratum variant, 0 to 3 percent slopes, in a field of alfalfa
<br />(1,400 feet east and 300 feet south of the center of section
<br />19, T. 6 N., R. 49, W.) :
<br />Ap-0 to 8 inches, dark grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) loamy fine
<br />sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist ; weak to moderate, fine, granular structure ;
<br />soft when dry, very friable when moist ; pH 7.6;
<br />noncalcareous ; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />B2-8 to 20 inches, dark grayish-brown (10YR 4/2) fine sandy
<br />loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist ; weak, coarse, prismatic structure that breaks
<br />to moderate, fine, granular ; slightly hard when dry,
<br />very friable when moist; pH 7.6; noncaleareous ; clear,
<br />wavy boundary.
<br />Clea-20 to 32 inches, light brownish-gray (2.5Y 6/2) fine sandy
<br />loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) when moist ; weak,
<br />coarse, prismatic structure that breaks to weak, coarse,
<br />subangular blocky ; hard when dry, very friable when
<br />moist ; pH 8.4; strongly calcareous ; some visible lime ;
<br />clear, wavy boundary.
<br />IIC2ca-32 to 52 inches, white (5Y 8/2) heavy loam, light olive
<br />gray (5Y 6/2) when moist; weak to moderate, me-
<br />dium, prismatic structure that breaks to weak to mod-
<br />erate subangular blocky ; very hard when dry, friable
<br />when moist ; pH 8.6; very strongly calcareous ; strong
<br />accumulation of lime that is salty and marllike.
<br />In Phillips County the Anselmo soils show little range in
<br />color or texture. The A horizon ranges from 5 to 10 inches in
<br />thickness, and the B horizon ranges from 8 to 20 inches in
<br />thickness.
<br />The Anselmo soils are associated with the Haxtun, Valentine,
<br />and Julesburg soils. Anselmo soils have a salty, marly layer but
<br />lack a buried soil in the subsoil like that in the Haxtun soils
<br />and are less clayey. The Anselmo soils have a thicker darker
<br />surface layer than the Valentine soils and have a less blocky
<br />subsoil than in the Julesburg soils.
<br />Anselmo loamy fine sand, marly substratum variant,
<br />0 to 3 percent slopes (AnB) occupies swales and broad
<br />valleys in the sandhills in the southeastern part of the
<br />county.
<br />Included with this soil in mapping were small areas of
<br />Haxtun, Julesburg, and Valentine soils.
<br />Although much of this marly substratum variant is
<br />cropped to corn, sorghums, and wheat, it is only marginal
<br />as cropland, and tilth and fertility are difficult to main-
<br />tain. Soil blowing is the greatest hazard. The loamy sand
<br />surface layer blows readily if not protected by vegetative
<br />cover. In dryfarmed areas, stubble-mulch tillage and strip-
<br />cropping are helpful in reducing soil blowing. Stubble
<br />mulching or crop residue provides the necessary cover dur-
<br />ing winter and early in spring. Small irrigated areas of
<br />this soil also need protection from soil blowing. Because
<br />only a few roots extend into the marly layer, irrigated
<br />crops on this soil require light irrigations at frequent
<br />intervals.
<br />Where left in native grass, this soil supports a good cover
<br />of mid and tall grasses and the hazard of erosion is slight.
<br />In some fields stands of native grass are thick enough to
<br />be cut for hay in years when moisture is favorable. Capa-
<br />bility units IVe-4 (dryland) and IIIe-6 (irrigated) ;
<br />Sandy Plains range site; windbreak suitability group 2.
<br />Ascalon Series
<br />The Ascalon series consists of deep, friable, well-drained
<br />soils that are nearly level to strongly sloping. These soils
<br />formed in moderately coarse textured, wind-deposited
<br />material. They are chiefly in the southeastern part of the
<br />county, generally on ridges that extend southeastward.
<br />In a typical profile the plow layer is sandy loam about
<br />10 inches thick. It is grayish brown in the upper 5 inches
<br />and dark grayish brown in the lower part. This layer is
<br />easily worked.
<br />The subsoil is about 17 inches of noncalcareous sandy
<br />clay loam. This layer is slightly hard when dry and friable
<br />when moist. It is dark grayish brown in the upper 9
<br />inches and grayish brown streaked with brown in the
<br />lower part.
<br />The substratum is strongly calcareous, very pale brown
<br />sandy loam that has been reworked by wind and water.
<br />Runoff is slow because the sandy loam surface layer
<br />absorbs water rapidly. Internal drainage is good. These
<br />soils have moderate natural fertility and moderate avail-
<br />able water holding capacity.
<br />Almost all the acreage is cultivated. In fields of native
<br />grass, most of the plant cover is side-oats grama, little
<br />bluestem, and needle-and-thread.
<br />Typical profile of Ascalon sanely loam, 0 to 3 percent
<br />slopes, in a field of winter wheat (600 feet east and 110
<br />feet north of the southwest corner of section 27, T. 7 N.,
<br />R. 43 W.) .
<br />Apl-0 to 5 inches, grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) light sandy
<br />loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist; moderate, fine, granular structure; soft when
<br />dry, very friable when moist ; pH 6.8; clear, smooth
<br />boundary.
<br />Ap-25 to 10 inches, dark grayish-brown (10YR 4/2) sandy
<br />loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist; weak, coarse, subangular blocky structure that
<br />breaks to moderate, fine, granular ; hard when dry,
<br />very friable when moist ; few seams of material that
<br />is very dark brown (10YR 2/2) when moist; pH 7.0;
<br />noncalcareous ; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />132t-10 to 19 inches, dark grayish-brown (10YR 4/2) sandy
<br />clay loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) when
<br />moist; moderate, medium, prismatic structure that
<br />breaks to moderate, medium, subangular blocky ;
<br />slightly hard when dry, friable when moist ; thin,
<br />patchy clay films, chiefly on vertical faces of peds ;
<br />pH 7.2; noncalcareous ; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />B3-19 to 27 inches, grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) light sandy
<br />clay loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) when
<br />moist; moderate, medium, prismatic structure that
<br />breaks to moderate, medium, subangular blocky ; few,
<br />very thin, patchy clay films on vertical faces of peels ;
<br />streaks of material that is brown (10YR 5/3) when
<br />dry and dark brown (10YR 4/3) when moist; pH
<br />7.4; noncalcareous ; clear, wavy boundary.
<br />Clea-27 to 44 inches, very pale brown (10YR 8/3) light sandy
<br />loam, pale brown (10YR 6/3) when moist; weak, very
<br />coarse, prismatic structure; hard when dry, very
<br />friable when moist; moderate accumulation of lime
<br />visible as threads, fine coatings, and soft concretions ;
<br />pH 8.6; strongly calcareous; gradual, wavy boundary.
<br />C2-44 to 60 inches, very pale brown (10YR 7/3) sand, brown
<br />(10YR 5/3) when moist; massive (structureless) to
<br />very weak, coarse, prismatic structure ; loose when
<br />dry or moist ; little visible lime ; pH 8.6; weakly to
<br />strongly calcareous.
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