The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-02
SHAWNEE LANDS
u. s. Department of Agriculture
Made Soil Survey.
Report Made Public Shows
Eleven Types.
THAT Usage SANDY LOAN
Famous Shawnee Nursery
Stocks Developed From 1t.
Also Corn, Potatoes and Alfalfa
Report Is Exhaustive.
THAT Usage SANDY LOAN

Washington, Dec. z--1ho uePeAAe-
lnent of agriculture will soon issue
report of a soil survey of Shawnee
county Kansas, which was made py
the bureau of soils for the purpose OF
classifying the different types OF SOILS
and to determine for what crops they
are hest adapted. The report, apart
from a careful description of the area
it's soils and agricultural conditions
mast. present and future. contains q
valuable map, showing every town.
go stream. school house and church
and others things of more or less I'M
Dortanoe. 1t also outlines in partlcu-
lar how to farm thu different son tyPes
encountered and under what ITeat
ment and what crops should be plant
ed in order that they be mace tne
most profitable.
Eleven types of soil were mapped
in the county. These are glacial, resi-
dual aIIuyiaI, or co1luvial in origin.
Summit silly clay loan is the pre-
dominating type and occupies rolling
topography. 1t is adapted 10 corn;
wheat and grass. The osWeso SIN
loam and Oswego silly clay roam az az
deficient in drainage. They are de1
rived from a black shale, occupy leVel
topography, and are adapted TO CORN
alfalfa, wheat and grass
The Shelby loan and It's Ight PHASE aI1
are of glacial origin and occupy roll
ing topography. They are general
Farming soils, corn and alfalfa doing
especially well on them the Boohe
fine sandy loan is residual soh oe-
rived from sandstone
THE Summit silly clay loan, heavy
phase, and the Crawford silty clay
loan are heavier soils, occupying roH-
ing topography adapted 10 corn anu
the general farm crops .
The Usage very fine sandy loan is
an aIluvial soil occurring in the river
bottom. on it is developed the nur-
sery stock industry, and corn, alfai1a'
and potatoes do exceptionally We'll
The Usage silly clay loan is heavy
bottom soil, frequently overlooked.
When well drained it is a, good corn
soil. The Usage silt loan occurs
along the larger creeks and is a good
corn and alfalfa soil. The colIuVlaI
phase of the Usage silt loan borders
streams and draws.
The Shelby stony loan and the
STONY phase of the summit silty clay
loan are too rough for cultivation,
but form good pastures.
The county has an area of 345, 500
acres, the surface of which has been
developed by erosion and influenced
by the hardness of the sandstone.
shale and limestone which forms the
rock of the county, The area IS
drained by the Kunoor river and its
tributaries The county has popula-
ton of over $1,000 and contains 116
miles of railroad. The climate is dis
tinctly humid and adapted to all gen.
eral farm crops
Land rents from So to S12 per acre
and has a valuation from $40 to $500
an acre.
The report states that the rotation
of crops is not practiced and makes
a strong recommendation for that
method of growing,
The crops grown in the area, named I'm
the order of their importance, are corn,
prairie hay, nursery stock, alfalfa, pota-
toes, lxafir corn, wheat, orchard products,
oats. sorghum, and millet. Corn is the
main crop and is almost all fed to stock.
Prairie hay is marketed in Topeka as n
money crop. Apple seedlings are largely
sold outside the county. Potatoes are
largely marketed in Topeka and in favor
able years shipments are made from the
county. Alfalfa has lately become an i'm
portant crop and is grown extensively,
especially in the bottoms. Oats are grown
chiefly for hay, though some are thresh "a.
Sorghum is grown by some of the farm
ers for the manufacture of syrup. Some
syrup is marketed Millet is grown prin-
eipally for the feeding of cattle.
The quantity of natural gas produced Ia
the state of Kansas in 1911, according to
the United States geological survey, was
IS, 199 10000 cubic feet, valued at 81, S54 5aL
The estimated consumption of gas at
cement plants was 49, rs, AT 900 cubic feet,
valued at $729911. an average price of
cents per thousand cubic feet. Zinc
smelters used estimated quantity Of
l2. 1S6. sos 600 cubic feet of gas. Vaiued at