/ \ UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY D 000 880 699 4 Geol DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. L i t> BUREAU OF SOILS— MILTON WHITNET, Chief. S GA3 1Q18 N WITH THE WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY , *A BIRGE, DIRECTOR; COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, UNI- Y OF WISCONSIN, H. L. RUSSELL, DEAN; A. R. WHITSON, IN CHARGE SOIL SURVEY. SOIL PURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, BY W. J. GEIB, OF THE U. S. Department of Agriculture, In Charge, and T. J. DUNNEWALD, of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. THOMAS D. RICE, Inspector, Northern Division. [Advance Sheets— Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, 1916.] WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1018. BUREAU OF SOILS. Milton Whitkky, Chief of Bureau. Alueut G. IlicE, Chief Clerk. SOIL SUB^^EY. Crr.TTS F. IVIakbut, In Charge. G. W. Baumann, Executive Assistant. COMMITTEE ON THE CORKELATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF SOTT-S. Curtis F. Marbut, Chairman. Hugh H. Bennett, Inspector, Southern Division. W. Ed\vai:i) Hearn. Inspector, Soutliern Division. Thoscas D. KrcE, Inspector, Northern Division. W. E. McLendon, Inspector, Northern Division. Macy H. LAriiAM. Inspector, Western Division. J. W. McKekichek, Secretary. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. BUREAU OF SOILS— MILTON WHITNEY, Chief. IN COOPERATION WITH THE WISCONSIN GEOLOGICAL AND NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY, E. A. BIUGE, DIRECTOR; COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, UNI- VERSITY OF WISCONSIN, H. L. RUSSELL, DEAN; A. R. WHITSON, IN CHARGE SOIL SURVEY. SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. BY W. J. GEIB, OF THE U. S. Department of Agriculture, In Charge, and T. J. DUNNEWALD, of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. THOAL\S D, RICE, Inspector, Northern Division. [Advance Sheets— Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils, 1916.] WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1818. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. U. S. Department or Agrictjltuee, Bureau of Soils, Washington^ D. C.^ December 5, 1917. Sir: Field operations of the Bureau of Soils for 1916 included a soil survey of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, undertaken in coopera- tion with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript and map covering this work and to recommend their publication as advance sheets of Field Operations of the Bureau of Soils for 1916, as author- ized by law. Respectfully, Milton Whitney, Chief of Bureau, Hon. D. F. Houston, Secretary of Agriculture* 2 CONTENTS. Page. Son. Survey or Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. By W. J. Geib, of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, In Charc.e, and T. J. Dunnewald, of THE Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey 5 Description of the area 5 Climate 8 Agriculture 9 Soils 13 Miami fine sandy loam 16 Miami loam 17 Miami silty clay loam 17 Miami gravelly clay loam 19 ^Jiami clay loam 19 Clyde loam 21 Clyde clay loam 21 Carrington silt loam 22 Kewaunee clay loam 23 Superior fine sandy loam 25 Poygan clay loam 26 Fox fine sandy loam 26 Fox silt loam 27 Waukesha sandy loam 28 Waukesha loam 28 Plainfield fine sand 29 Peat 30 Summaxy 31 ILLUSTRATIONS. figure. Fig. 1. Sketch map showing location of the Milwaukee County area, Wisconflin . MAP. Soil map, Milwaukee County sheet, Wisconsin. SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. By W. J. GEIB. of the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In Charge, and T. J. DUNNEWALD, of the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey.— Area Inspected by THOMAS D. RICE. DESCRIPTIOX OF THE AREA. Milwaukee County is located in the southeastern part of Wiscon- sin. It is bounded on the north bj^ Ozaukee County, on the east by Lake Michigan, on the south by Racine County, and on the west by Wauke.sha County. The city of ^Milwaukee is in the east-central part. The county varies from 8 to 12 miles in width east and west and is 24 miles long. It has a total area of 241 square miles, or 154,240 acres. The topograi)h)' of Milwaukee County, which is constructional, consists of three low, broad, flat-topped, but rather distinct ridges running north and south parallel to the lake shore and separated by two shal- low, narrow, lowland belts. All the ridges curve with the indentation of the coast line at Milwaukee, but elsewhere do not trend with the details of the coast line. Half of the first ridge has been removed between Milwaukee and the southern line of the county by the landward sapping of the lake, so that the lake shore lies ap- proximately along the crest of the ridge, the height of the lake cliff, therefore, varying with the height of the ridge. North of Milwaukee the lake seems to have cut away about half of the ridge also. The remaining part of this ridge has a maxi- mum width of about 3 miles in the northern part of the city of ^lil- waukee and at the northern boundary of the county. Elsewhere the width is half that or less. The width of the fir.st lowland ranges from a quarter mile locally at several places to expansions of more than a mile, as in the area of Peat west of Ryan, another southwest of Cudahy, and one near 5 /\ R rt i ^V^ Vl; t-j^mJ Vf^ V ^1 n 1 1 M 1 Fig. 1. — Sketch map showing location of the Milwaukee County area, Wisconsin. 6 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. North Milwaukee. It lies about 40 feet lower than the top of the first ridge. The second ridge has a width of about 5 miles throughout its course in the county. Its maximum elevation is about 140 feet and its general elevation about 80 feet above the lowland east of it. Its surface is undulating to rolling, owing to the existence of a number of subordinate ridges with the same trend as that of the main ridge. The second lowland belt has a width about the same as that of the first belt. It lies about 100 feet below the general level of the top of the second ridge. The third ridge, only the eastern part of which lies within the county, is essentially like the second. The drainage of the county consists of a number of small streams following the lowland belts and a few larger streams following the lowland belts in part and in part cutting their way across the ridges. In a few instances the small streams have cut valleys across low parts of the ridges. The Milwaukee River has cut a narrow valley across the western part of the first ridge west of Fox Point and across the eastern part in the northern part of the city of Mil- waukee. The Menominee River has cut a narrow^ valley across the second ridge between Wauwatosa and the western part of the city of Milwaukee and a broader one across the eastern ridge within the city. The Root River has cut a narrow valley across the second ridge where it runs in an eastward course along the southern boundary of the county, and Oak Creek crosses the first ridge in South Milwaukee. In those parts of their courses not mentioned above these streams occupy the lowland belts in a misfit way just like the small streams. The lowland belts were made before the existing streams were formed and by other forces. The local drain- age is mainly into small basins, lakes, and ponds, and occasionally into the existing streams described above. The natural provision for the surface drainage of the county is very incomplete. Milwaukee County was created in 1836. It then included a large area to the north, west, and south of the present county, and was not reduced to its present size until 1846. The first settlers in the county were mainly English and French. Later German settlers largely occupied the northern and western sections. Subsequently German settlement spread to the southern part of the county, which had been occupied mainly by Irish. While the present population is largely German (about 60 per cent), it comprises many other nationalities. Many of the gardeners, espe- cially south of Milwaukee, are of Polish descent. The total population of Milwaukee County is reported in the 1910 census as 433,187. The rural population is given as 39,556, or about SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. 7 9 per cent of the total, averaging about 168 per square mile. The density of the rural population of Milwaukee County is greater than that of any other county in the State. The density of population is greatest along the lake. Milwaukee, with a population of 373,857, according to the 1910 census, is the county seat. Whitefish Bay, Xorth Milwaukee, and Granville, in the northwestern corner of the count}', Wauwatosa and West AUis, to the west of the city, and Bayview, St. Francis, Cudahy, South IVIilwaukee, and Carrollville, to the south of the city, are im- portant towns. Hales Corners and St. Martins are located in the southwestern part of the county. All the towns are connected directly by steam or electric railway with Milwaukee. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad has a double-track line from the city southward, and the Waukeslia, Watertown, Fond du Lac, and Green Bay branches running west and north. The Chicago & Xorth Western has two double-track lines, one freight and one passenger, running south, and the Madison, La Crosse, Fond du Lac. and Manitowoc branches extending west and north from the city. Of the electric interurban lines the Racine line of the Mil- waukee Electric Railroad & Light Co. and the Chicago, Xorth- shore & Milwaukee Electric Railway extend southward from the city, and the Troy and Muskego Lake lines of the former system westward to AYest Allis and south throng i Hales Corners and St. Martins. The Waukesha & AVatertown line of the same system runs west and the Milwaukee Xorthern Electr'c Railway north from the city. Owing to the heavy, clayey nature of the soil over the greater part of the county, the roads in their natural condition are very bad in wet weather, and with the rapid increase in the use of the automobile it became necessary to build roads capable of withstanding the heavy traffic in the vicinity of the city. In the last few years nearly all the main roads and many of the crossroads have been surfaced. A report of the Milwaukee highway department published in January, 1916. indicates that nearly 100 miles of permanent road had been completed outside the city, 86 per cent being concrete, 7 per cent asphalt, 2 per cent brick and block, and > y.er cent macadam. The cost is met by direct taxation, about one-third being borne by the State. About $2,000,000 has been expended The road improve- ments have had a marked etfect in increasing land values. The city of Milwaukee is the chief market for all garden crops and many other products, such as milk, butter, meat, hay. grain, potatoes, etc. Sugar beets, some of the milk, cabbage, and other products are shipped to outbide markets. 8 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. CLIMATE. The climatic conditions prevailing in Milwaukee County are char- acteristic of a considerable region in eastern and southeastern Wiscon- sin immediately bordering Lake Michigan. The mean annual pre- cipitation as reported by the Milwaukee station is 31.40 inches; the total rainfall for the driest year as given by the "Weather Bureau is 18.69 inches, while the total for the wettest year is 50.3G inches. This rainfall is, as a rule, fairly well distributed throughout the year, and especially during the growing season when it is most needed. Frequently, however, there are years when periods of dry weather alternate with periods of unusually heavy rainfall. These may continue from one to four weeks and occasionally longer. Ob- servations made by the Weather Bureau station at Madison, where the rainfall conditions are very similar, covering a period of 30 years from 1882 to 1911, show that there are on the average three 10-day periods in each growing season in which the rainfall is so light that crops on a reasonably heavy soil suffer from lack of mois- ture. The average date for the last killing frost in the spring in Mil- waukee County is given by the records as April 27, and the average date of the first killing frost in the fall is given as October 10. This gives a growing season for Milwaukee County of approximately 166 days. The date of the latest killing frost recorded for the spring in Milwaukee County is May 29, and the date of the earliest killing frost in the fall is given as September 25. The influence of Lake Michigan is quite marked in this county. The large body of water has the effect of delaying the opening of spring, but when warm weather finally begins it has a tendency to keep climatic conditions more uniform than in sections remote from large bodies of water, so that in this region summer frosts and early fall frosts are very rare. While the number of days between killing frosts is 166, as given, there is a considerable period after the last killing frost in the spring and before good growing weather begins during which the temperature is relatively low, and when such crops as corn will make but little progress. The land immediately border- ing the lake and for some 5 or 10 mil&s back is for this reason not so well adapted to corn as land lying in the same latitude but farther inland. The influence of the lake accounts for more cool nights than are found in the interior of the State, and this of course is not con- ducive to the rapid growth of corn. The mean annual temperature of the Milwaukee station is 45.3° F. The highest temperature recorded is 100°, and the lowest —25°. The following table is compiled from the records of the Weather Bureau station at Milwaukee: SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. NoDiKil monthly, seasonal, atul annual trmpcrnturc and precipitation at Milicauhcc. Temperature. Precipitation. Month. Mean. Absolute maximum. Absolute minimum. Mean. Total amount for the drie.st year (1901). Total amount for the wettest year (1876). December °F. 26.0 19.8 21.9 °F. 63 61 60 °F. -22 -25 -24 Inches. 1.92 2.01 1.89 iTiches. 1.69 1.33 1.92 Inches. 2.16 4.39 3.63 January FebruarT AVintcr 22.6 63 -25 5.82 4.94 10.18 March 30.9 41.8 .53.6 81 86 94 - 8 12 25 2.67 2.70 3.42 3.62 .47 1.75 .5.29 2.83 8.54 April May Spring 42.1 94 - 8 8.79 5.84 10.66 June 63.5 69.7 68.7 98 100 98 38 47 42 3.67 3.01 2.82 1.12 2.03 1.50 4.76 4.39 5 52 Julv August Summer 67.3 100 38 9.50 4.65 14 67 September 61.5 •SO. 2 36.1 96 88 73 25 15 -14 2.92 2.39 1.98 1.86 .65 .75 3 66 October 1 62 3 57 Fall 49.3 96 -14 7.29 3.26 8.85 Y ear 45.3 100 -25 31.40 18.69 50 36 AGRICULTURE. The type of agriciilturo in Milwaukee Coimtv from about 1830 to 1850 wa.s general farming. Land was cheap, the population was scattered, and the prices received for farm products were much lower than at present. Grain, hay, and live stock were the chief products. By 1860 wheat, oats, and corn had become the important crops. The first cargo of wheat is said to have been shipped from Milwaukee in 3841. With the increase in population in the county, both urban and rural, the demand for garden products became greater, the price of land advanced rapidly, and the number of farms increased, with a decrease in the average size. Owing to low prices and decreased yields, wheat production steadily declined after about 1870, while the production of market-garden and orchard crops in- creased. Small market gardens and truck farms in recent years have taken the place of the larger dairy and general farms near the city of Milwaukee. There has also been an increase in the number of tenant farms. 30409°— 18 2 10 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. At the present time, aside from truckino: and market fjardening. the agriculture of the county consists of combined general farming and dairying. Special crops, such as cabbage, sugar beets, or po- tatoes, are grown by many farmers, but a majority depend mainly upon the products of the dairy, and most of their crops are produced for feeding live stock. There are only three creameries in operation in the county, two of which are in Milwavdiee, and most of the milk and cream is hauled or shipped to this city and a large part of it is consumed as fresh milk. Man}' farmers sell whole milk, others separate the cream and sell it or make butter, which is sold in the city. The advantage of the latter method is that the young calves can be raised on the farm, while with the former the calves must generally be disposed of and cows bought to maintain the herd. Small quantities of hay and grain and small numbers of calves and hogs are sold by these farmers. The following table, compiled from the 1910 census, gives the number of live stock in the county and the sales of farm animals, by classes : Number of domestic animals sold or slaughtered and number on farms and ranges. Domestic animals on farms and ranges : Milch cows 11, 131 All other cattle 3, 6153 Horses 0, 670 HoRS 7,241 Sheep 367 Domestic animals sold or slaughtered : Calves, sold or slaughtered 6, 093 Other cattle, sold or slaugh- tered 3,810 Horses and mules, sold 188 Swine, sold or slaughtered 7, 461 Sheep and goats, sold or slaugh- tered 80 In the 1910 census oats is reported as the leading grain crop, with a production of 548,110 bushels from 15,368 acres. Corn is reported on 10,015 acres, with a production of 397,882 bushels; barley on 3,668 acres, with a production of 112,089 bushels; and rj^e on 1,234 acres, with a production of 24,448 bushels. Wheat is reported on somewhat less than 500 acres, producing about 10,000 bushels. Tame and cultivated grasses are reported on 28,808 acres, producing 43,531 tons of hay, and about 4,500 acres are reported in wild grasses and forage crops, with a production of about 12,000 tons. Potatoes oc- cupied 6,905 acres, with a production of 803,595 bushels, and all other vegetables a total of 4,400 acres. There were 571 acres devoted to sugar beets, producing 6,948 tons. A total of 77,799 apple trees and about 3,000 grapevines are reported in the county. Strawberries are grown on about 100 acres. The following table gives the value of the various farm products, as reported in the 1910 census: SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. Value of farm products, arranged by classes. 11 Product. Cereals Other grains and seeds Hay and forage Vegetables Fniits and nuts All other crops Value. Dollars. 588,502 19,442 642, .359 8.53,902 67,397 358, 228 Product. Live stock and products: Animals sold and slaughtered Dairy products, excluding home use . Poultry and eggs Wool, mohair, and goat hair Value. Dollars. 346.498 675, 178 188,447 340 Total value 3, 740, 293 The garden crops are of many different kinds. Among the most important products are celery, berries, lettuce, radishes, onions, melons, sweet corn, asparagus, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, cucum- bers, and peppers. With the improvement of the roads, gardening is spreading to cheaper and more favorable soils and into areas 15 to 20 miles distant from Milwaukee. The products are hauled by team or motor and sold at the public markets to wholesale produce dealers and commission merchants, or peddled to regular customers in the city. The interurban railways run express cars which carry milk and garden produce to the city. From Hales Corners the cost is 20 cents per hundred pounds, and crates, cans, etc., are returned free to the owner's nearest station. Records in Milwaukee show that in the months of May. June, July, August, September, and October, 1916, a total of IS.Sr)! loads of products was delivered to the public markets. The estimated value of each load is $35. A general recognition of the adaptation of the various soils to certain crops is represented by the local grouping of the soils into three classes — celery land, garden soil, and clay soil. The drained Peat is the soil referred to as celery land, the sandy terrace soils and the dark-colored soils as garden soil, and the general upland clay and silty clay loam, which are used for dairying and general farming, as clay soils. With the exception of trucking and market gardening, the most specialized agriculture is the production of celery, sugar beets, and cabbage. The sugar beets and cabbage are generally grown on the larger dairy farms as cash crops, while celery growing is a separate industry. The young celery plants are grown in beds under glass, transplanted by hand to shallow trenches made in the Peat field, and the rows are gradually hilled or ridged up as the plants develop. The 3'oung cabbage plants are grown in open beds and transplanted in rows, generally with the aid of a planter, and are merely hoed and cultivated until mature. Fifteen to twenty-five tons of cabbage per acre is considered a good yield. Sugar beets are often gi'own in cooperation with a beet-sugar company, the nearast one being at 12 laELD orEPLmoxs or the bukeau oe soils^ rjiu. Menominee P'alls in Waukesha County. Under a labor contract the seed and all hand work, such as hoeing, weeding, thinning, topping, and loading, are provided by the sugar company for $21 per acre, while the farmer docs all team work, such as plowing, seeding, culti- vating, and hauling to the shipping point. Fifteen to twenty tons per acre is considered a good yield. Most of the farms in the county have good houses, barns, and other buildings, and these are well cared for. In general, the best improvements are found in the northern half of the county. Silos are in general use in all parts of the count.y. On most of the general farms from 3 to 5 horses and 5 to 30 head of other stock are kept. A number of farms have buildings somewhat resembling silos, but not so high and of greater diameter, for the storage of dry distillers' or brewers' grains. This product is used quite extensively', especially in the southern half of the county, as a supplementary feed for cattle and hogs. Most farmers haul the grains in a wet condition direct from the brewery or distillery in a large, tight box or a large barrel, of a capacity four or five times that of an ordinary barrel, and mounted on wheels. From 85 cents to $3.20 per load is paid for this wet grain mash, depending upon the size of the container. A common rotation on the dairj- and general farms consists of hay 2 years, corn 1 year, and grain 1 }'ear, with perhaps another culti- vated crop 1 year. AVhere alfalfa is grown — and this crop is being gradually introduced — such a rotation is necessarily altered or abandoned, as alfalfa occupies the land for several years. Alfalfa is not yet grown generally or in large quantities, although it is said that little trouble is experienced in getting a good stand. Onl}' small quantities of commercial fertilizer are used in the county, most of that purchased being used in the production of flow- ers and other greenhouse crops. Most of the gardeners use manure hauled from the city. It is difficult to obtain farm labor, and the cost is raf)iclly increas- ing. As much as $35 to $45 a month with board is sometimes paid for good farm hands. Much of the gardening and the celery and sugar-beet handwork is done by women, girls, and boys, usually mem- bers of the farmer's family. The 1910 census reports a total of 2,443 farms in the county, aver- aging 47 acres in size. About 77 per cent of the area of the county is in farms, and of the farm land about 85 per cent, or 40 acres per farm, IS reported improved. Somewhat over one-third of the farms in the county are operated by tenants. The rent varies from $4 to $10 or $12 an acre, depending upon the location of the land and the kind of farming practiced. The higher price is paid for the best garden land. SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. 13 Land varies widely in value, ranging from $100 or $125 in the remote parts of the county to $300, $400, and even $1,000 an acre for garden and celery land near the city. SOILS. Milwaukee Count}' lies entirely within the glaciated area, and the surface formation consists of glacial deposits, ranging in thickness from a few feet to almost 200 feet. The soils have been derived, through weathering, from the drift materials, either in the position in which they were left by the ice or after transportation and rede- position by water. With the exception of a small strip along the lake shore north of Milwaukee, the county is covered by drift deposited during the late Wisconsin stage of glaciation. This material was laid down in long gentle ridges parallel to the lake shore, with intervening narrow lowland belts and inclosed depressions, which exist as poorly drained areas and marshes. A study of the rock fragments found in the drift shews that 80 to 90 per cent is of limestone similar to the rocks underljnng the drift. The remaining 10 to 20 per cent is composed of rock fragments wholly foreign to this part of Wisconsin. This small quantity of foreign material is made up of rocks brought from localities farther north and similar to those now exposed in the Lake Superior region, including Archaen crystalline rocks and the older sandstones and quartzites. The drift as originally deposited was for the most part unassorted and consisted of a blue, gray, or brown clay or silty clay in which sand, gravel, and bowlders of various sizes were embedded. It was highly calcareous, being derived largely from limestone. Since the final recession of the ice this material has been subjected to the processes of Aveathering, giving rise to productive soils. The principal changes that have taken place are the leaching from the surface soil of the lime and other readily soluble constituents, and the incorporation of organic matter. Leaching has proceeded so far in many places that the surface soil is neutral or even acid. In most cases, however, there is a larger quantity of lime in the subsoil. The color of the upper part of the drift below the dark surface soil has been changed to a yellowish brown by oxidation. The surface soil has been darkened to a greater or less extent by the incorporation of organic matter. The drift soils are classed with two soil series — the Miami and the Carrington. North of ^lihvaukee, lying between the Milwaukee River and the lake shore, there is a deposit of red material which differs strikingly from the other surface depobits of the county. The exact time and 14 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. manner of its deposition has not been fully deterniined. Its position overlying the drift and stratification in places indicate deposition in comparatively still water, but the source of the red material is not known. The thickness of this deposit varies from about 1 foot to 80 feet, with an average of about 25 feet. It occurs as a series of broad, gently undulating ridges. The unweathered material is a silt}' clay varying in color from light red to brownish or purplish red. In places many bowlders are present, but as a rule these are less abundant than in the other surface materials of the county, and over considerable areas they are rarely encountered. Weathering does not extend to so great a depth as in the other materials, and organic matter does not seem to accumulate so rapidly in the surface soil. The soils of two series, the Kewaunee and Superior, are de- rived from this deposit. The terrace soils are principally derived from deposits that were laid down as outwash plains by swollen streams from the melting glaciers. The most extensive terraces occur along Milwaukee River just north of Milwaukee. Similar terraces border other large streams in the county. The surface covering of the terraces ranges from n clay loam to sand, beneath which lie coarser materials. During the ice invasion some areas, principally along stream valleys, were ponded by the drift, and the lowlands thus formed were filled at the time or later by alluvial material. Through work of streams these valleys have been trenched and the remnants left as well-drained terraces or only partially drained areas and poorly drained tracts or marshes where more or less vegetable matter has accumulated. Several series of soils are represented. The various soils are grouped, on the basis of origin and formation, color, topography and drainage, and other features, into soil series. The series is subdivided into types on the basis of texture. Sixteen types, included in nine series, exclusive of Peat, are mapped in Mil- waukee County. The soils of the Miami series are grayish brown, and the subsoils yellowish brown. The subsoils are heavier in texture than the soils, but the lower subsoils and substrata may be gravelly and sandy. These soils are derived from drift, and bowlders, mainly of limestone, occur in the soil and subsoil. The surface soil may be neutral or even slightly acid, but the subsoil usually is calcareous. In this county five types are mapped, the fine sandy loam, loam, silty clay loam, gravelly clay loam, and clay loam. The soils of the Clyde series are dark gray or dark brown to black ; the subsoil is gray or drab, mottled with yellow. The Clyde soils are poorly drained and occur along streams and marshes within areas of SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. 15 the Miami series. They represent glacial-drift material reworked in part by streams and weathered under poor conditions of drainage. In this county the loam and clay loam types are mapped. The soils of the Carrington series are dark brown to black. The subsoil is yellow to light brown. The series is derived by weathering from glacial till. The topography is undulating to rolling. Neither the soil nor the subsoil is highly calcareous. The series is represented in this county by a single type, the silt loam. The soils of the Kewaunee series are red to reddish brown, and the subsoil is red. The series is derived from red glacial material, prob- ably reworked after deposition in a lake. The topography varies from undulating to rolling, and drainage is good. Only one member of this series is mapped, the clay loam. The Superior series differs from the Kewaunee only in having a more nearly level topography and consequently poorer drainage. Only one type, the fine sandy loam, is encountered in this county. The soils of the Poygan series are black. They contain large quan- tities of organic matter. The subsoil is red and similar in character to that of the Kewaunee series. As a rule, these soils are poorly drained. In this county the series is represented by only one type, the clay loam. The Fox series includes grayish-brown soils with yellow or yellow- ish-brown subsoils, heavier in texture than the soils. Layers of sand and gravel, composed mainly of limestone, often occur below about 80 inches. These soils occupy level terraces. They lie above overflow, and drainage usually is good. In this county the Fox fine sandy loam and silt loam are mapped. The Waukesha soils are dark brown to almost black, with light- brown or yellow subsoils. Layers of sand and gravel are encountered in places in the deep subsoil or substratum. The soils of this series occur on level or gently undulating terraces and are well drained. The sandy loam and loam types are mapped in Milwaukee County. The Plain field series includes brown surface soils with light-brown sandy and gravelly subsoils. These are productive terrace soils, but are somewhat droughty in very dry seasons. The Plainfield fine sand is mapped in this area. It is not typical, but is made to include all the sand areas in the county. Peat, as mapped in this county, consists of a dark-brown to black spongy mass of organic matter made up of partly decayed vegeta- tion. The peaty material varies greatly in depth, and a shallow phase of the type is separated. The depth of the peaty material in the shallow phase ranges from about 3 to 18 inches; in the typical areas it is more than 18 inches deep. 16 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. The following table gives the name and the actual and relative extent of each soil type mapped in Milwaukee County : Areas of different soils. Soil. Acres. Per cent. Soil. Acres. Per cent. Miami silt v clav loam 55,296 2,752 38,528 8,384 19,392 9.280 5,248 2,880 448 3,200 1,856 1 ''■' 30.3 12.6 6.0 3.4 2.2 2.1 1.2 1,408 1,152 1,088 1,024 832 576 448 384 64 .9 Level phase .7 Miami clav loam Miami gravelly clay loam 7 Level phase 7 Clyde clav loam .5 Kewaimee clav loam .4 Miami Inam .... 3 Peat 2 Shallow phase 1 Total 154,240 MIAMI FINE .SANDY LOAM. The surface soil of the Miami fine sandy loam consists of 8 or 10 inches of grayish-brown to yellowish-brown fine sandy loam over- lying yellowish-brown, sticky sandy clay loam or sandy loam. Gravelly sandy loam or sandj- clay loam is encountered at a depth of 24 to 30 inches. The gravel occurs at or near the surface on the knolls, while in the depressions the surface soil is deeper and heavier than the average. This type occurs in isolated areas in all parts of the county. The areas vary in size from a few acres to a square mile or more. The largest areas are near St. Francis, northeast of South Milwaukee, near and west of the Blue Mound Country Club, and just east of North Milwaukee. A sandy loam variation occurs along the Kin- nikinnic River in the southwestern part of Milwaukee and along Underwood Creek, near the western county boundary. The topography is generally undulating to rolling, and the drain- age is good. On the sharpest knolls where gravel occurs near the surface crops may suffer from drought in continued dry spells, but the soil in general holds moisture well and produces good crops. Most of the type near the more thickly settled sections is used for trucking and gardening, and is fairly well suited to that purpose, as it is easily worked and well drained. Its uneven topography and lack of organic matter, however, make it somewhat inferior to the Clyde and Waukesha soils. In addition to garden and truck crops, it produces good yields of sugar beets, oats, potatoes, and corn. Liberal applications of manure are needed on this soil. No com- mercial fertilizer is used. SOIL SUEVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. 17 MIAMI LOAM. The surface soil consists of G to 10 inches of yellowish or brown- ish-griiy loam to fine sandy loam, and the subsoil differs ver}^ little from the soil. At 24 to 30 inches the material is a more compact, sticky 3'ellowish-brown sandy clay loam or loam. Gravelly sandy ioam is often encountered at 30 to 36 inches. The soil is slightly variable, being a sticky sandy clay loam in some places and a more open sandj' loam in others. Gravel sometimes occurs on sharp knolls, and bowlders originally were quite numerous, though most of these have been removed. This soil is intimately associated with the Miami chiy loam and silty clay loam, and in places the boundary is largely arbitrary. The type occupies undulating to rolling knolls and narrow strips or projections of high land bordering streams and marshes. It occurs in isolated areas in all parts of the county. The topography is undulating to rolling, and the drainage generall}' is adequate. Some areas are forested, but the greater part of the type is under cultivation. Usually the general farm crops are grown, the type not being so well adapted to garden crops as other soils. Corn, oats, hay, potatoes, and clover are grown. Corn yields 50 to 70 bushels per acre, oats 10 to 50 bushels, potatoes 100 to 150 bushels, and hay 1^ to 2 tons. Barnyard manure is used, but no commercial ferti- lizers are applied. The selling price of this land varies wideh\ Some of it near Milwaukee sells for as much as $600 to $1,000 an acre, while in more remote areas it can be bought for $100 to $200 an acre. MIAMI SILTY CLAY LOAM. The Miami silty clay loam consists of dark grayish brown compact silt loam, G to 10 inches deep, and sometimes containing a relatively large proportion of very fine sand, resting on a subsoil of yellowish- brown clay loam. The material is reddish brown and contains lime- stone fragments belo-w a dei)th of 21 to 36 inches. This type covers practically all the south half of the county. Small areas in which the silty soil is about 8 inches deep and which might for that reason bo mapped as a silt loam are included. The topography in general is broadly undulating to rolling and the drainage is good. In a few places limestone rock occurs at 5 to 10 feet below the surface, but it is usually much deeper. Some stony spots occur in the southwestern part of tlie county and are indicated by symbols. In the southeastern corner of the county the land is said originally to have been stony, but the stones have largely been removed and only a few bowlders remain on the surface. 18 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. Most of the tj'pe in its native state was forested with a heavy growth of hardwood, with " oak openings," or areas of scattered trees, in places. The timber remains only in small woodlots, and practically all the type is under cultivation. The Miami silty clay loam is used mainly for dairying and general farming, but along Kilbourn and New Roads and Howell Avenue south from Milwaukee, and also along Janesville Plank and Loomis Roads considerable gardening is done. Hillside slopes, where the soil is often slightly loamy, sandy, or gravelly, and small strips of darker soil at the heads of drainage ways or bordering creeks and marshes, are preferred for the garden and truck crops. The farms are gen- erally smaller and the land higher priced along these main roads. On the dairy farms the most important crops are corn, barley, oats, hay, clover, and potatoes, with some alfalfa. Corn yields 80 to 100 bushels, oats 40 to 60 bushels, and potatoes 100 to 150 bushels per acre. Most of these crops are fed to the cows. The cash products in- clude milk and butter, calves, hogs, and small quantities of grain, corn, and hay. The crops are grown in rotations, the usual plan being as follows: (1) Clover hay, (2) clover and timothy hay, (3) corn or potatoes, and (4) grain, seeding the land to clover and timothy. Barnyard manure is relied upon to maintain the soil in productive condition. Some of the farmers combine dairying and gardening, keeping a few cows and raising some garden crops with enough field crops to feed the stock. Land of this type varies widely in price, garden farms along the main roads selling for $200 to $500 an acre, while dairy farms and lands in more remote areas sell for $100 to $200 an acre, depending upon improvements, character of the surface, and conditions of the land. Miami silty clay loaTn, level phase. — The surface soil of this phase consists of a grayish-brown heavy silt loam or silty clay, underlain at 6 to 10 inches by yelloAvish-brown cla}^ loam. A sandy gravelly clay or sandy loam is encountered at 30 to 40 inches. The topography is very gently undulating to level. This phase does not include so much wet land as the level phase of the Miami clay loam, and as a whole is better drained. Practically all the phase is under cultivation. It is used for the production of general farm crops. Corn yields 60 to 70 bushels, oats 50 to 70 bushels, and potatoes 150 to 200 bushels per acre. Alfalfa does well, although in wet seasons it may become weedy. Barnyard manure is used on this soil. Land of this phase sells for $125 to $300 an acre. i SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. 19 The following table gives the results of mechanical analyses of samples of the soil and subsoil of the Miami silty clay loam: Meclianical analyses of Miami silty clay loam. Number. Description. Fine gravel. Coar.se sand. Medium sand. Fine sand. Very fine sand. Silt. Clay. 312735 Soil Per cent. 1.5 .8 Per cent. 4.2 3.6 Per cent. 4.0 3.8 Per cent. 20.0 20.1 Per cent. 10.9 10. J Per cent. 48.7 43.7 Per cent. 10.6 312730 Subsoil 17.5 MIAMI GRAVELLY CLAY LOAM. The Miami gravelly clay loam is somewhat variable in texture. The soil prevailingly is a grayish-brown or yelloAvish-brown, sticky or compact clay loam or sandy clay loam, containing varying quan- tities of sand and gravel. The subsoil is generally a compact clay loam or sandy clay loam carrying some gravel. Gravelly sandy loam occurs in places at 20 to 3G inches, and in some areas gravel is strewn thickly over the surface. Most of the type occurs in a nearly continuous, gravelly morainic area extending from Lake Michigan, one-half mile north of Cudahy, in a north^vesterly direction through St. Francis to west of Bay View. Another area lies south of the Menominee River, near the west end of the viaduct just west of Milwaukee. A few small areas occur in other parts of the county. Areas of sandy gravelly loam, too small to be mapped separately, are included with this type. They occur on small, scattered knolls in the moraine south of Bay View. The topography is generally undulating to rolling or bumpy, and the drainage is good to excessive. Areas of this soil near the city are used both for gardening and for the production of the general farm crops. The soil is very pro- ductive. It is often rather difficult to work because of the gravel, and much of it farther removed from the city is used for pasture r woodlots. Near Milwaukee a number of gravel and sand pits are worked in areas of this type. MIAMI CLAY LOAM. The Miami clay loam consists of 4 to 8 inches of grayish -brown, compact clay loam or silty clay loam, overlying yellowish-brown to reddish-yellow heavy clay loam or clay. Yellowish-brown sandy clay loam or loam occurs at depths of 22 to 30 inches. From 30 to 36 inches the material contains some gravel and often considerable sand. On the knolls the gravel may be nearer the surface with a 20 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1916. sticky gravelly clay or loamy clay surface soil. Depressions and level areas have a deeper silty surface soil. This soil as mapped includes a large part of the upland of the north half of the county. It includes the undulating to rolling up- land south of the Menominee River and the more rolling ridges west of Wauwatosa and along the east side of the Underwood Creek Valley. Areas to the south, where the surface silty material is uniformly deeper over the clay loam subsoil, are mapped as the Miami silty clay loam. In general the clay loam occupies the more rolling ridges, but the separation of the clay loam and silty clay loam types is difficult, and the boundary between the two is in many cases largely arbitrary. The difference in the soil is most noticeable in wet weather when the rolling ridge land, where the surface silty clay is shallower, often becomes difficult to work. In dry weather the dif- ference is not so marked and the separation of the types on the basis of the depth of the silty surface layer is difficult. The Miami clay loam is generally well drained, but in con- tinued bad weather it becomes sticky and is difficult to handle. This is an extensive and highly developed type. The soil is strong and productive, and except for small woodlots it is practically all under cultivation. The original forest growth consisted of oak, maple, elm, ash, beech, and some hickory and walnut, but little of the valuable timber is left. The type is used mainly for dairying and general farming combined. In trucking and gardening sections and along some of the main roads leading into Milwaukee garden crops are produced. The general farm crops include corn, oats, bar- ley, hay, potatoes, cabbage, and sugar beets, with some alfalfa. Corn yields 80 to 100 bushels, oats GO to 70 bushels, barley 40 to 50 bushels, potatoes 125 to 150 bushels, sugar beets and cabbage 15 to 20 tons, and alfalfa 3 to 4 tons of hay per acre. Alfalfa is not grown on many farms, but its acreage is increasing. No great difficulty seems to be experienced in getting a good stand where proper methods are employed. Cabbage, potatoes, and sugar beets are the cash, or special, crops on this type. Little hay, corn, or grain is sold, most of these crops being fed to cows, hogs, and other stock. Barnyard manure is applied to this soil, and manure spreaders are in common use. Very little commercial fertilizer is used. The type is improved by increasing the organic-matter supply by growing and plowing under legume crops such as clover or alfalfa. This hind sells for $200 to $400 or more an acre, depending upon location and improvement. Miami clay loarn^ level fhase. — This phase includes areas of the Miami clay loam having a nearly flat topography. The soil con- sists of 6 to 8 inches of grayish-brown silty clay loam overlying a SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUXTY, WISCONSIN. 21 j'^ellowish-brown or mot tied vol low clay or clay loam. Sandy clay loam with some limestone fragments is reached at about 30 to 36 inches. This phase occupies irregular areas in the broad valleys or de- pressions between the ridges, and generally borders a stream or nuirsh. It occurs mainly in the north half of the county. The surface is generally flat, and while some areas have fair drainage, others after periods of wet weather remain much too wet for cultivation. The poor drainage is partly due to seepage from surrounding higher land. Practically all this phase is cultivated or pastured, about the same crops being grown as on the main tj^pe. Yields are somewhat lighter, and cultivation is often delayed in the more level areas. For its im- provement this soil requires drainage, generally by means of tiling, and in some places liming is essential. CLYDE LOAM. The surface soil of the Clyde loam consists of dark-brown to black fine sandy loam, about S to 12 inches deep. The upper subsoil is a grayish-yellow or mottled sandy loam containing considerable gravel. The material below 24 to 30 inches is variable, but is generally a sticky clay or yellowish sandy clay loam. This type occurs in detached areas in all parts of the county in association Avith the poorly drained areas of the Clyde clay loam bordering streams and marshes. It has a small total area. The topography is level, but the type as a rule has a slightly higher position and is better drained than the associated clay loam, so that a greater proportion is under cultivation. It is better suited to gardening than the clay loam type. Besides its higher percentage of sand it contains more organic matter, which makes cultivation easier than in case of the clay loam. Many different garden crops, including onions, potatoes, melons, and tomatoes, are grown. No commercial fertilizer is used, but barnyard manure is applied in large quantities. This land sells for $150 to $600 an acre, depending mainly upon its location. A small area of sandy loam is included with this type. This soil differs from the loam only in texture and in having better drainage. It occurs on the terrace bordering the Milwaukee River west of Whitefish Bay, and is a valuable soil for market gardening. CLYDE CLAY LOAM. The Clyde clay loam consists of 12 to 16 inches of dark-grayish or black sticky clay loam to silty clay loam overlying a blue or mottled 22 f^;ld operations of the bureau of soils, 1916. yellow compact cla}^ loam. In places the mottled subsoil contains some fine sand and gravel below a depth of 30 to 3G inches. This soil occurs in shallow- depressions in the upland and as long strips bordering the streams and marslies. Areas varj'ing in size from 3 or 4 acres to a square mile are found in various parts of the county. Of the larger areas, one occurs a mile west of AVhitefish Bay, one just west of North Milwaukee, one just west of Cudahy, and another near the southwest corner of the coimty south of Heelyton. This type is low and generally flat. The drainage is generally poor, and practicallv all the land in its natural state is too w-et for cultivation. The soil is often tile-drained and used for gardening, and is highly valued because of its high content of organic matter. In a fcAV instances, especially in the southern part of the county, dredged drainage ditches are used, and field crops are grown. In dry seasons the soil retains moisture well and crops are not so likely to suffer for lack of moisture as on the sandy soils. The type, especially in wet seasons, is cold and late in spring and can not be worked soon after rains. Many different garden crops are grown, and good yields of corn, hay, sugar beets, and potatoes are obtained where the land is drained. Most of it is undrained, and supports a vegetation consisting mainly of marsh grass, brush, and large elm and ash trees. Such areas are used largely for pasture or for growing hay. The selling price of this land varies greatly, depending mainly upon location. Some farms sell for $500 to $600 an acre, while much of the type farther from Milwaukee and from good roads can be bought for $100 to $200 an acre. Improvement of this soil in nearly every case depends primarily upon tile drainage; when drained it is a productive and valuable soil for gardening or for general farming. Farmers in other sec- tions have tiled this type of soil at a cost of $17 to $25 an acre. The yields on tile-drained areas are considerably larger than where such improvement has not been made. CARRINGTON SILT LOAM. The Carrington silt loam consists of 10 to 16 inches of dark-brown or black heavy silt loam overlying a buff or grayish-brown clay loam. The subsoil contains small quantities of fine sand and gravel, and is light yellow below about 24 to 30 inches. White streaks of limy or marly material are present in a few places in the deeper subsoil. This soil is mapped in the southern part of the county. The area south of Heelyton is an extension of a much larger area in Racine County to the south. The type has a small total area in Milwaukee County. The topography is undulating to gently rolling. The type includes lower-lying areas near the streams and steep slopes rising to SOIL SURVEY OF MILWAUKEE COUNTY, WISCONSIN. 23 the highland. Although there is considerable variation in the topog- raphy, the drainage is generally deficient, and tile drainage is re- quired over a large part of the type to bring it to its highest state of productiveness. Small grassy swales and depressions are numer- ous, and because of the dense clay subsoil and the lack of natural drainage outlets, the type includes considerable wet and cold waste land that can be reclaimed only by drainage. Even land with con- siderable slope may be too wet for satisfactory cultivation. Probably 50 per cent of the type would be benefited by the installation of tile drains. Notwithstanding the deficient drainage of this type, it is a pro- ductive and valuable soil. All of it is used for some purpose, the wet land for hay or pasture. Little if any of the original forest remains. General dairy farming is practiced, and some truck crops are grown. The most important crops are corn, barley, hay, potatoes, and cabbage. Corn yields GO to 100 bushels per acre, barley 25 to 40 bushels, hay about 2 tons, potatoes 100 to 150 bushels, and cabbage 12 to 15 tons. A sufficient number of coavs is generally kept on the farms to supply the cultivated land with barnyard manure. No commercial fertilizers are used either on the general farm crops or on the truck crops. This land sells for $75 to $150 an acre, depending upon location, improvements, and drainage conditions. For its improvement this soil is mainly in need of drainage and the addition of lime. Most of the soil is distinctly acid to litmus paper. This is due in part to poor drainage and in part to the high organic-matter content. Proper drainage and the application of 2 to 4 tons per acre of fineh' ground limestone should make this one of the most productive and valuable soils in the county. KEWAUNEE CLAY LOAM. The surface soil of the Kewaunee clay loam consists of a grayish- red or reddish-brown clay loam from 3 to 6 inches deep, contain- ing a fair percentage of organic matter and varying quantities of gritty sand or fine sand. The subsoil is a red, sticky, compact clay loam, which continues throughout the 3-foot section and contains varying quantities of limestone fragments and gravel. Where the land is slightly undulating the soil of the knolls has a pink or red- dish color, while grayish material predominates in the level areas. The knolls and undulating areas, although having better drainage, are often as hard to work in wet seasons as the level areas where the surface material has greater depth. The Kewaunee clay loam occurs as a continuous body, lying mainly between Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan. This area is about 24 FIELD OPERATIONS OF THE BUREAU OF SOILS, 1016. 3 miles wide along the north county line and tapers rapidly to the south. At Whitefish Bay the area extends less than one-fourth mile back from Lake Michi