SOIL SURVEY OF MANITOWOC COUNTY, WISCONSIN  7


There are 51,923 acres of plowable pasture, which includes fields cut
for hay one year and pastured the next. These areas are counted as
pasture lands only the year when actually pastured. This class of
pasture is found on nearly all types of soil but is most extensive
on the heavy types such as Superior clay loam and Kewaunee silty
clay loam. A second division of pasture land is woodland pasture,
of which in 1924 there were 30,798 acres. This includes practically
all wood lots and timbered areas, none of which are plowed. Some
of this is high and some low land. The third division is classed as
other pasture, which might be called permanent pasture. Of this
there are 17,194 acres including rough broken lands, rocky areas,
or steep land which can not be plowed and which is not timbered, and
also some lowland.
  The carrying capacity of the pastures varies greatly, but probably
an average of 2 acres is required for each mature animal. Some
of the rough broken land is too droughty to furnish good pasturage.
The wood lots should not be pastured, as the trees may be injured.
The grass in the wooded areas is thin, especially where shade is
dense. Some of the lowland is too wet part of the year and some
is peaty and does not afford the best pasturage.
  The question of maintaining good permanent pastures is one of
  reat importance, especially in a dairying section. Pastures may be
  ertilized as well as any other crop, and they should not be grazed
too close or when the land is too wet.
  The selling value of farm land in Manitowoc County varies
W reatly, depending on soil conditions, improvements, and location.
  ewaunee silty clay loam, Kewaunee silt loam, and Bellefontaine silt
loam are probably the best and highest-priced lands in the county.
Well-located and well-improved farms on these soils have a selling
price ranging from $100 to $150 an acre. Rodman gravelly loam and
Plainfield fine sand are probably the soils of lowest value, except
the marsh areas. These soils command from $15 to $50 an acre,
except near cities. Some of the marsh lands can be bought for as
little as $10 an acre. Between these extremes all variations in price
an be found. The most important soil types were graded as to
value on a percentage basis and the relative value of the various soils
thus shown. Kewaunee silty clay loam, as one of the most desirable
soils of the county, was given a percentage value of 85 to 100. The
important soils of the county are valued about as shown in the
following tabulation:
                                                        Relative value
                                                          (per cent)
Kewaunee silty clay loam ----------------------------------85 to 100
Kewaunee silt loam   ---------------------------------------85 to 100
Rellefontalne silt loam ------------------------------------- 85 to 100
Superior clay loam ---------------------------------------- 80 to 85
Superior silt loam ----------------------------------------- 80 to 90
Superior fine sandy loam ----------------------------------- 75 to 85
Kewaunee fine sandy loam ---------------------------------- 85 to 95
Coloma fine sand .------------------------------------------------- 20 to
40
Plainfield fine sand .....                                 50 to 60
Poygan silty clay loam (well drained)   -   ---------75 to 90
Carlisle muck (well drained) -------------------------------- 40 to 65
Peat    ---------------------------------------------------30 to 40