The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-12-07
SOIL SURVEY in
BARNES COUNTY
EXCELLENT SUMMERS WORK
ACCOMPLISHED BY THE A. C.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY - ALSO
WORKED ALONG THE MISSOURI
RIVER.

The survey Of soils under the A. C..
state geological survey was carried on
entirely in the adjacent county Of
Barnes this past summer. A profitable
time is reported by the ave men work
ing there in charge OF Prof. Herbert
A. Hard. The state law equally d.
vides the work and appropriation for
strictly geological survey between
the ,geologist at the university and the
same official at the A G. While the
code makes 1t possible for the A. G..
to do all kinds OF geological work and
while some of such work is done each
season, the bulk OF funds are spent on
a survey Of soils and agricultural con-
ditions.
AS the origin and classification of
soils is a geological question the in
spection and charge of the work is
placed with the A. c. geologist where
the crop adaptibility of the soil and
its management may readily be work.
ed out. The soil samplers are required
to have special preparation in soils
and agriculture.
Some interesting information was
collected this summer and even some
important additional facts discovered
which had escaped the attention of the
geologist who had mapped the topo-
graphy years ago.
Besides the soil and geological work
in Barnes county the director spent
about ten days on a survey or irriga-
ton possibilities along Missouri river
tributaries where some very encour-
aging sites were inspected. Practical
pioneer irrigators are making 1t win
as shown by actual bushel records.
Thousands Of acres Of the most pro-
ductive land, now neglected, lie with
in easy access of water. which If used
Jointly with dry farming methods
would bring by actual test two and
three fold the acreage yield. Most of
this land could be flooded with a mini
mum cost Of preparation-but a small
fraction of that of lands considered in
other states practicable.
A hundred acres of irrigated Apple
creek bottoms near Bismarck yielded
It's tons of alfalfa for a first crop
this summer and two later crops made
good yields. Others are seeing the
success and seeding to alfalfa on Apple
and Burnt creeks. Burleigh, Morton
and Stark counties have a great flu
ture in irrigation.
In a weeks study of the coal and
other resources Of Billings county
| Bad Lands Professor Hard was &C
companied by Professor Bergman who
looked after native plants. Professor
Bergman in charge of the biological
end Of the survey spent the rest of
the field season in Barnes and Stuts-
man counties.
Until the middle of July the director,
Prof. Herbert A. Hard, had charge of
the soil survey parties. At this date
VIM. Rommel and A. C. Anderson were
sufficiently prepared to head each a
field party. Mr.. Rommel having pre-
| viously had employment under Pro-
| lessor Willard in Richland county and
Mr.. Anderson with the Northern Pa
cofic land examiners. Ambrose Bou-
cher acted as assistant to these men
alternately. This arrangement permits
the director to divide his time between
inspection of the soil mapping and 9TH
| er geological questions. one OF the
most helpful phases Of the work fol-
the county Will be the mapping, an
alysis OF soil and treatment for alkali
Artesian and other water resources
are being carefully investigated.
This year, for the first time, the
survey has taken up the bacteriologi-
cal side of the soil. Samples were
gathered by the field men and placed
within few hours in the laboratory
at the disposal Of Professor Beckwith
who had charge of this end of the
work. An account of his results will
appear in the next biennial report Of
the survey.
A great many samples were collected
for physical and chemical analysis
The physical analysis, map publication
and federal inspection are furnished
from washington, the soil bureau put
ting In more money than the state.
Barnes county secured this state
survey by act Of the county commits.
sioners, appropriating $S40 to aid II
the work. The survey had confirmed
the belief that Barnes county has goot
soils. At the present about half o.
the county is surveyed and it is hoped
that the work may be completed mex
summer.
While much alkali land was found
the spots are usually either not largt
1 va 1AA6 c1lOhAAb Va oeSlL 40 81 SA1clA 1S "
permit of improving the land by prop
err treatment.
Too much praise can not be, given tt
the Barnes county commissioners and
the aggressive citizens of Valley City
who made the survey of the area pos.
sible.
Very thoroughgoing methods are
employed in the survey, the samplers
making borings in the soil every few
rods. Any one kind of soil amounting
to as much as ten acres is mapped
thus a very accurate rating Of the
land. Those familiar with the method;
of the survey are buying land on the
strength of the reports.
AS crop adaptibility and soil man
agenent are carefully investigated the
farmer has an invaluable fund Of in
formation at his command. Real es-
tate men and farmers can avail them
selves of this by writing the director OF
the A. G. soil survey.
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