The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-21
EXCELLENT SOIL
SURVEY REPORT
SOIL SURVEY MADE OF BARNES
COUNTY, WHICH TOOK TWO
YEARS, ISSUED IN EXCELLENT
REPORT FROM GOVERNMENT
PRINTING OFFICE.

The official report of the soil survey
of Barnes county, which required two
Years, and was accomplished by DR..
Herbert A. Hard, the director, has
been issued in. excellent shape from
the government printing Office at
+ Washington.
The soil survey of, Barnes county
Was made, in the seasons of 1911 and
1912 by the North Dakota survey, d.
rected by DR.. Herbert A. Hard, and
the United States soil bureau under
Milton Whitney.
3 The Barnes. county map and report
are free for distribution, one copy to
each person, on request to Dr.. Herbert
A.. Hard, Fargo, the United States soil
bureau, or any North Dakota on
gresham.
The report has forty-seven pages.
The soil map is 3A feet by 4 feet
square and on a scale Of 1 inch to
the mile, i. e.. each section III the
county is represented by one square
inch on the map.
All roads, railroads. houses,
churches, schoolhouses and the extent
of each soil type are carefully shown.
Eighteen soil types are found in the
county, consisting mainly Of the Car
rington series OF glacial soils. Seven
ty-six per cent Of the 960,640 acres in
the county are the silly clay loan and
loan Of this 'black prairie" soil
series.
These soils are found to be exceed
ingly fertile and we'll adapted to gen.
eral agriculture. They are level to
rolling, retentive of moisture, easy to
till and quick to respond in the spring.
Each soil type has it's area accurate
ly represented on the map by a sep
arate color. \
From the map and report one is
able to learn the quality Of the soil on
every ten acres in the forty-two
townships Of the county. The report
explains the character Of each soil
type. The field men who made the
survey are familiar with the treatment
and crop requirements Of these soils
in other areas, notably where expert
ment stations and demonstration
farms are located, and the report con-
tains valuable information on soil
management, crop adaptation and
treatment. .........
The report is in demand not only by
farmers. wanting information about
tfllage of their land but also by those
who are prospective settlers from 9TH
er states, by real estate men n in
vestors generally. -. /
These facts, disinterestedly obtain
ed, are definite and reliable as to the
Value of the land in crop production.
County commissioners, have secured
the survey in order to get at h exact
valuation Of the land for tax assess
ment. -
The Barnes county field work was
prosecuted in 1911 by Professors Hard
and Bergman, A. c. Anderson, Will
liam Rommel and A. G. Boucher OF
the A. c.. The local survey induced
Chief Whitney OF the federal soil bu-
e a to more fully" cooperate in 1912
and L. c. Holmes and j. E. Dunn. Of
the United States Department Of Ag-
rieulture' were sent from Washington
to the work for its completion that
year.
e The survey was financed from three
sources, the state appropriation for
tho local survey, a county appropria-
ton. Of about Is per cent Of its cost,
and federal aid.
AS the state fund is about $1,000 per
year. the work was practically only
made possible through the securing of
federal and county aid to the extent
Of about three -fourths Of the total
cost.
. Great credit is due to the public
spirited activity Of E. S. Delaney of
commissioners in. giving the county
aid.
The report and mar, printed by the
bureau Of soils, is distributed chiefly
through the North Dakota congress-
men, though it can also be had by
addressing Dr. Herbert A. Hard at
Fargo. . 8
1t is a work invaluable in the point
Of; a lasting benefit and DR.. Hard and
his assistants both in the state and
from Washington are deserving of
much praise and credit for their eff
forts. as this report is something that
will be pertinent to every ma inter-
ested in North Dakota lands.