Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-03-31

report is prepared which outlines
methods for permanent improve
deficient in any of the plant food
elements the report tells in what
form and how these foods can best
be applied to the land in question.
If the soil is. acid the report tells
| in what form and how much lime
must be applied to correct this con-
dition. If the farm contains marsh
land the examination will determine
| if this can be drained, and the re-
port will indicate the methods which
should be followed in improving the
marsh land and the crops and rota-
tons best adapted to such soils.
In a general way the soils of this.
counties of Eau Claire, Chippewa,
st. Croix, Rusk, Barron, Price,
Pierce, Pepin and Polk, have been
described in bulletin of the State
Soils Survey from an examination
made in cooperation with the Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture,
directed by the State Geological and
Natural History Survey.
The problems to be met with on
individual farms are not taken up in
this report, however. In it are CIV
en- the general points of interest
regarding each of the main SOIL
types in the area, with statements
about the clay of the land and the
agricultural development. While the
supply of these maps and reports is
now practically exhausted, informa-
ton concerning the general charac-
ter of the soil in any of the coun-
ties in this region may be had by
writing to the Soils department, Col
lege of Agriculture, Madison. A few
of the leading facts about this terri
tory's soil and topography are in.
cluded herewith
This area, which includes 1856 town
ships or about $500 square miles
of land, amounting to one-eighth' OF
the state, has a minimum altitude of
$50 feet above sea level, with some
quartzite ridges rising to 1000 feet.
The principal topographic feature
of this region is the relatively
level or gently sloping surface, with
extensive deposits of glacial drift,
In many places these deposits Still
retain the original forms in which
they were nodded by the great ice
sheet.
Fourteen distinct soil types have
been noted in the survey of this
region-six of these being derived
from the weathering of glacial ma
terial. These drift soils are named
Colby silt loan, Chelsea loan, Ken
nan silt loan, Thornapple sandy
loan, Midtown silt loan, and Bald
win silt loan. Other upland soils
are the Auburn and Hartland silt
loans. Soils of alluyial origin, most
ly confined to the valley bottoms,
include the Rice Lake loan, Meri-
dean loan, Sterling sand, and Chetek
sandy loam About 100000 acres in
the nine counties are marsh land.
Only five per cent of the Chelsea
loans, which are the most extensive
type to be found in the region, are
under cultivation. Improved land
values are rated highest on the
Baldwin, Colby, and Hartland silt
loans, and on the Gushing (miani)
and Thornapple loans, all Of which
are quite extensive.
More detailed surveys Of this re-
gion will be undertaken within a few
years. The work of the State Soils
Survey as we'll as the State Soils
Laboratory is under the direction of
A. r. Whitson and w. j. Geib. All
parts of the state will eventually be
covered by the survey, and farmers
in any community may have the
services of the field agents Of the
Soils Laboratory upon proper appll-
cation, ON blanks furnished by the
Soils department, College of Agri-
culture, Madison.