The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-18
BITTER ROOT VALLEY SOILS
CLASSIFIED BY GOVERNMENT
IN REPORT. JUST PUBLISHED
History Of Agriculture in Region Discussed and Whole Section /,
Representatives, and Scientific Rotation Of Crops Neg
lected by Ranchers, Says Publication

chards, but grain growing under ir-
rigation is the principal branch of
farming on the silt loam.
Valley. Filling Material.
Soils derived from the, old valley
filling material are mapped, covering
1873 per cent of the entire area sur
veyed. In general topography these
soils resemble those of the Bass and
Como series. In many places. however,
they are more eroded and they gen.
orally have q hardpan. Soils OF this
character occupy the terraces and
slopes of the eastern side of the val
ley, where they include most of the
valuable land aside from that of the
stream valleys. Owing to their po-
sition and perfect air drainage these
soils have been planted extensively to
fruit. Areas lying below an elevation
of about 300 feet are irrigated from
n large canal heading in one Of the
glacial lakes on the west side. Above
| this elevation the and Is irrigated
only in isolated areas mere and there.
This group of soils is classcd in three
series. the Drdgcr. Burnt Fork, and
Ravalli.
The Bridgers gravelly loan is Il
grayish colored, well drained soil, re-
tcntivc to moisture. 1t occurs in u
single area south OK Eightmile and
irrigation bitches and is used largely
as pasture, but dry farmed wheat Is
produced to some extent.
The soils OF the Burnt Fork series
differ from the Bridger soils chiefly
in the occurrence of hardpan. The
Burnt Fork stony loan is the second
most expensive type mapped. 1t is well
suited to orcnarding, and practically
every variety Of fruit grown in the
valley is produced on it to some ex-
tent. The soil is highly developed.
Wheat and oats are grown on it east
of Hamilton, and alfalfa is an impor-
tant crop. Under irrigation wheat
yields 35 to 40 bushels per acre, oats
80 TO so bushels, and alfalfa 2h to az
tons Of hay. The loan of this series is
q productive soil of very small extent.
The Ravalli series is represented by
five types. The loan and stony loan
are good soils. but they cover only a
small total area. The sandy loan soil
has little value except for pasture.
The greater part of the stony sandy
loan is unused except as grazing
land, but with the removal of the
stones this soil would probably give
, fair yields OF fruit of good quality and
size. The Ravalli silt loan occurs in
numerous small areas on slopes on the
east side. 1t is used extensively for
/, growing grain and orchard fruits.
, Grain is grown under dry farming
methods. Much of the type lying too
high for irrigation is used for pas
ture, but the soil is not retentive of
moisture and does not afford very
good pasturage.
Aliuvial-Fan Soils.
Over about II per cent Of the area
e surveyed the soils consist of alluvial-
ian deposits distributed as broad
! sheets by torrential, shifting streams
3 emerging from adjacent mountain
I canyons. These soils are classed in tht
! Victor and Garrison series, the Victor
soils consisting of material originally
derived from granite or gneissic rocks
md the Garrison soils Of materia
mainly from sedimentary rocks. Thu
| Victor stony sandy loan, which is thu
most extensive type of the group. II
= used chiefly as pasture and gener
ll-farming soil. Wheat, oats and al
calfa yield we'll under irrigation. Thu
type is not used much for orcharding
;. rs it lies in the path of the cold al
= currents from the canyons and highe
ying Bass soils. All crops are irri
gated. The Victor stony loan in gen
- than the stony sandy loan. Dairyinl
= could we'll be extended on this soil. o.
the Garrison gruvelly sandy loan, tn
only type of this series mapped. som
I | apple and sweet cherry orchards hav
;. | been set out on the west side. but tn
>. type is used mainly for grain and a
>asture land.
VI Recent Alluviai Soils.
d The soils derived from recent nj
n tuvium are by far the most extensive
y his group covering more than one
ID 'ourth OF the entire area surveyed
n These soils occupy the present floo
s. plains and terraces of the stream
m reversing more or less well define
rs valleys. They are developed mos
is .ypically in the present valley of tn
rs Bitter Root river. but large areas eX
"a end up the valleys of some Of tn
Of anger tributaries. These soils are mo.
re extensive on the east side OF the val
re icy. They vary much in texture. Bee
Id # gravel and sand underlie all Of til
err ecent -alluvial soils at varying depth
to These soils include some of the mo,
al important parts of the valley. The
m are classified by the bureau of sol
n in six series. the Chamokane. Grant.
al iale. Waterloo. Corvallis, Colville. an
r. .Iolo. OF these, the Colville and Lo
elk soils are of small extent and therefor