History of Henry County, Missouri
(Written by Lamkin, Uel W. in 1919)

History of Henry County, Missouri (1919)

GenealogyBuff.com - History of Henry County, Missouri (1919) - Chapter XIII - TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY - THE PRAIRIE REGION - ALTITUDE - FORESTS - CUMATE - SOIL, TYPES - SUMMIT SILT LOAM - OSAGE SILT LOAM - BATES SANDY LOAM - OSWEGO SILT LOAM - STATISTICS

Posted By: GenealogyBuff.com
Date: Thursday, 23 March 2023, at 7:55 p.m.

CHAPTER XIII

While it is not the purpose of the author to give any detailed statement as to the geology or topography of Henry County, yet it may be well to record herein some facts gathered from the bulletin on "The Soils of Missouri," published in 1918 by Doctors Miller and Krusekopf of the College of Agriculture of the University of Missouri and from the latest figures given by the Missouri Department of Labor, concerning the surplus products of Henry County. Henry County is located in the southwest Missouri prairie region, of which the above authors speak as follows:

"This region represents the smoothest portion of the State and is characterized by level to gently rolling topography. These features are due to the character of the underlying rocks which consist largely of shales, limestones and sandstones, and which dip to the northwest at a very low angle. From such a structure is derived a succession of flat plains and rolling escarpments. Where the clay shale beds prevail, the country is flat; where sandstones or limestones prevail, the hills are generally low and rounded. Where the rocks of the upper carboniferous occur, as in Jackson and parts of Cass and Lafavette Counties, there are very frequent alternations of limestones with shale, and the resultant surface is more rolling or undulating. In the remainder of the prairie region, wide, gently sloped valleys and streams with gentle grades, broad flood plains and broad rounded divides are characteristic. In short, it is a mature topography - a smoothness of long continued erosion."

This prairie region is the eastern edge of the great plains region which extends to the Rocky Mountains. This part of Missouri is underlain by carboniferous rocks; the lower beds of these consist chiefly of shales and sandstones and the soils that form are varied in texture. In the region of the upper coal measures there is a greater alternation of shales with limestones. In general, the various horizons of the carboniferous rocks occur in irregular belts extending from northeast to southwest.

The altitude of Henry County is about 900 feet, which is about 100 feet lower than Morgan County and some 200 feet lower than the southern part of Jackson.

At the time of settlement, a large portion of Missouri was forested. In the prairie regions of which Henry was a part, belts of timber varying from a few rods to ten miles or more could be found all along the larger streams. In the extreme eastern and southeast part of Henry County was an area of scrub-oak timber approaching the definition of a forest.

In climate, Henry County is at about an average with other parts of Missouri. The annual mean temperature of the State is about fifty-four degrees. The mean temperature in January is about thirty degrees in the central counties, while in July the temperature ranges from seventy-seven degrees in northwest Missouri to eighty degrees in the extreme southeast. Periods of extreme cold are of short duration.

The mean annual rainfall, taking the figures for the last twenty-one years, is from thirty-five to forty inches, the forty-inch line running along the southern boundary of Henry County.

Several soil types are found in Henry County. Those described in the bulletin above referred to are the Summit silt loam in the northern part of the county, practically covering Bogard, Shawnee and half of Big Creek townships; the Osage silt loam, which varies in width from one half mile to three miles in the Big Creek and Grand River bottoms, while the rest of the county is about equally divided between the Bates fine sandy loam and the Oswego silt loam. The bulletin above referred to describes these soils as follows:

The Summit silt loam, frequently known as black limestone land, includes the greater part of Jackson, Cass, Bates and Johnson Counties, and portions of Vernon, Henry, Pettis and Lafayette Counties. It is prevailingly a heavy silt loam with a rather heavy, plastic silty clay subsoil. Typically, the surface soil is a black, dark brown or very dark gray silt loam, ten to eighteen inches in depth, and containing a good supply of organic matter. The subsoil is a dark drab to dark gray clap loam, changing at about twenty-four inches to a yellowish gray, granular, silty clay, mottled yellow and gray. The gradation from soil to subsoil is gradual, and is not marked by a sudden change in color or texture. Usually the true subsoil is not reached at less than eighteen inches, where the soil material becomes compact and waxy and the content of organic matter quickly decreases. Lime concretions and calcareous streaks are found at various depths in the subsoil. The Summit silt loam as a whole is rather uniform, such variations as occur being of minor importance, and needing only brief consideration.

Poorly drained areas, usually at the head of shallow draws, are black in color in both soil and subsoil, and in texture are almost a clay loam. Such areas are frequently known as gumbo. Another variation is the so-called mulatto land, the surface soil of which is a dark brown mellow silt loam, grading at about fifteen inches into a yellowish brown or reddish brown crumbly, silty clay loam. The subsoil averages lighter in color and texture than the corresponding layer in the Summit silt loam. The soil material is derived chiefly from limestone and shale, the former probably entering into the formation more largely than the latter. The mulatto land occurs along streams, and averages more rolling in topography and has more limestone outcrops than the typical soil. In its agricultural value it is equal or superior to the latter, and is especially prized for alfalfa. It is extensively developed in Jackson, Cass and Johnson Counties.

Included in the Summit silt loam are small areas of Summit stony clay loam. These occupy the isolated hillocks, the sides of ridges and escarpments and stony slopes near streams. In these areas thin bedded limestone outcrops and fragments of the stone are scattered over the surface, making cultivation difficult. The soil material is dark gray to yellowish-brown plastic clay. Most of the land of this character is in pasture and orchard to which it is well suited. The larger part of the Summit soil in Clay, Ray and Carroll Counties belongs to this phase.

Throughout its entire extent, the Summit silt loam has a level to gently rolling surface, admirably adapted to an extensive type of farming. The undulating topography is everywhere sufficient to insure good drainage. The streams and draws flow through shallow valleys, and the level of the plain is rarely more than twenty to fifty feet above the valley bottoms. In general, the areas north of the Missouri River average more rolling than the main body of the type south of the river. The depth of the soil mantle is deep, frequently fifty to sixty feet, and the underlying rocks are rarely exposed. Limestone has entered more largely into the composition of the soil in the northern part of the area than in the southern part. The original vegetation consisted of prairie grass, with narrow belts of elm, oak, hickory and walnut timber along the streams.

The Summit silt loam is one of the best soils in the state, and compares favorably with the better glacial and loessial soils of North Missouri. All of the type is highly improved, and is used for general farm crops, such as corn, wheat, grass, and oats. Com yields from thirty-five to seventy-five bushels, wheat twelve to twenty-five bushels, oats twenty to fifty bushels, hay one to two tons per acre. On the better farms the higher figures are approached more frequently than the lower. Grass and small grain do especially well. Clover and alfalfa thrive on most of the type.

In general the farm practices prevailing on the Summit silt loam are the same as those on the better prairie lands in the northern part of the State. Large numbers of live stock are marketed annually. Special crops, such as sorghum, millet, soy beans and cowpeas are grown to a small extent. In former years flax was an important crop but it is no longer grown.

Land values range from $65 to $150 an acre, depending up location and improvements. Most sales are made at $80 to $100 an acre. In a few areas values reach $200 per acre. The farms are uniformly large and are well developed.

The composition of this soil is shown in the following table:

  

Composition of Summit Silt Loam.      

(Average of 11 analyses.)      

                                  Lime requirement  Nitrogen   Phosphorus   Potassium       

                                  lbs.              lbs.       lbs.         lbs.      

                                  ================  ========   ==========   =========     

In 2,000,000 pounds of soil       3290              1645       30390        3235      

In 2,000,000 pounds of sub-soil   1900              1705       27030        1500      

It will be seen that this soil is among the better upland types from the standpoint of reserve food supply. While the lime requirement is rather high in many instances, in other cases the soil is not acid. The average requirement is approximately one and a half tons but the resulting injury is partly offset by the fertile condition of the soil. The nitrogen supply is not exceptionally high so that good systems of rotation and the saving of farm manures are necessary for continued productivity. Phosphates can be expected to give returns on the more worn areas, when properly used.
The Osage silt loam a represents the alluvial soils within the residual prairie region. The type as mapped has a wide range in texture, but the class name has been used to indicate the predominating character. Aside from the difference in origin, the Osage soils are lighter in color than the Wabash soils of the glacial region, but are darker than the Huntington soils of the Ozark region. In general, the Osage soils vary from black to light gray in color, although dominantly they are dark brown or dark gray. Texturally, they range from fine sandy loam to heavy clay, with a preponderance of the finer grades.

The Osage silt loam is by far the most extensive type, and almost completely occupies the valley bottoms along all the larger streams, except where interrupted by the Osage clay. It consists of a black, dark gray or gray, mellow silt loam, with a drab or gray silty clay subsoil. Frequently there is little change in color or texture throughout the soil section, but in general the subsoil contains more clay and is lighter in color than the surface soil. That portion of the type in the region of the Summit and Oswego soils is much darker in color and the surface soil deeper than in the southern areas. In the region of the Cherokee and Bates soils - notably in Vernon, Barton and Henry Counties - the surface soil is prevailingly a light color, ashy material carrying many iron concretions, underlain at about twenty-four inches by a gray silty clay. This light colored phase is poorly drained and is not productive. The greater part of it is timbered with willow, oak, ash, elm and hickory. The Osage silt loam, particularly the dark colored phase, is easily cultivated and where well drained is very productive. The greater part of it is used for corn and yields of forty to seventy-five bushels are obtained. Areas not subject to overflow and having good internal drainage are well suited to alfalfa. The greatest need of the soil is good drainage.

In the region of the Bates fine sandy loam the alluvial soil is usually of a loam texture. The surface soil to a depth of ten to fifteen inches is a dark brown or grayish brown loam or fine sandy loam with a yellowish brown subsoil. The most extensive areas of this phase occur along Horse and Clear creeks in Benton and Vernon counties. It is highly prized as corn, clover, alfalfa and truck soil.

The areas of heavy clay soil within the Osage silt loam are locally known as gumbo. The soil consists of a black silty clay, eight to twelve inches in depth, underlain by bluish-black or drab, waxy, tenacious clay. The latter, when dry, cracks and becomes hard and intractable. The surface soil, although it contains a large amount of organic matter, is difficult to work, except under the most favorable moisture conditions. The most extensive areas of Osage clay are found along the Osage River and its large tributaries, in Bates, Cass, Henry and Vernon counties. All of the type is subject to prolonged overflows, and therefore little of it is under cultivation. It produces coarse hay, averaging one to four tons per acre. When moisture conditions are favorable corn and grass do well. Large areas have been reclaimed by ditching and tiling.

Where properly drained the high agricultural value of the Osage soil is well known. Land values vary mainly with the character of the drainage, but also with the grade of the soil. They range from $25 to $100 per acre.

The Bates fine sandy loam has a wide distribution in the southwestern part of the State, and is one of the most variable types mapped. The prevailing texture is that of a coarse loam, but ranges from silt loam to coarse sandy loam. The subsoils are somewhat heavier but friable. The surface soils range in color from dark brown to yellowish gray, the darker shades predominating on the smoother areas, especially in the northern areas of the type. The subsoils are some shade of brown and show mottlings of red, brown and yellow. Sandstone fragments are scattered through the soil, and frequently bed rock is encountered on the steeper slopes.

The silty areas included in the Bates fine sandy loam consist of a dark brown to grayish brown silt loam, grading at about eight to twelve inches into light-brown friable silt loam, which is underlain at about eighteen to twenty inches by crumbly silty clay or fine sandy clay, highly mottled red, brown and yellow. This silty phase occupies the almost level areas of the type and is typical prairie land. The Bates loam and Bates fine sandy loam have brown or grayish brown surface soils with yellowish brown subsoils, usually of a somewhat heavier texture than the surface material, although sometimes the subsoil is coarser than the soil. The latter condition obtains when the sand rock is within three or four feet of the surface. The sand content ranges from very fine to medium, but the finer grades are usually greatly in excess. Associated with the more rolling areas is a large amount of shale and sandstone fragments disseminated through the soil and subsoil. Sandstone outcrops are common and steep slopes of stony loam are found.

The most persistent characteristic of Bates soils is the bright red mottlings of the subsoil, frequently so intense as to give the lower subsoil a red color. The soil material is derived from sandstone and shale. The fonner is only a few feet in thickness, so that the resultant soil is varied and rather silty where the shales predominate.

The Bates fine sandy loam forms an irregular belt along the southern and eastern edge of the residual prairie region. It occurs most extensively in Barton, Vernon, Cedar, St. Clair and Henry counties, although numerous small areas are found in adjoining counties. The general location of the area is indicated on the soil map. However, it must not be considered as occupying all the country indicated as this type on the map. In many places small patches of Cherokee silt loam are included which are usually only a few acres in extent and therefore too small to be indicated. Near the eastern edge of the area there are included small amounts of stony loam that belong to the Ozark soils.

The surface features of the Bates fine sandy loam vary from level to steeply rolling. The former represents the typical prairie land, while the latter includes the mounds or hillocks, and timbered land bordering the streams. Practically all of the type can be easily cultivated.

Corn, grass and cowpeas are the most important crops grown. A considerable part of the type remains as virgin prairie sod. Corn is extensively grown, and where the soil is well supplied with organic matter fair yields are obtained. Wheat is not extensively grown except on the silty areas, and it usually requires fertilization to produce profitable crops.

Cowpeas and kafir thrive remarkably well. The lighter textured soil is highly prized for small fruits and truck. Strawberries and bush fruits are successfully grown in some localities. Wherever areas of Bates fine sandy loam are located near transportation lines, so that potatoes do not need to be hauled more than three or four miles to the shipping point, this crop may prove an excellent money crop. Alfalfa has been tried with some success but owing to the deficiency of lime carbonate in both soil and subsoil and the rather low fertility, this land is not particularly adapted to the crop.

While the Bates fine sandy loam is not considered a strong soil, and while it quickly deteriorates under bad management, it can, by the use of proper rotations and treatment, be maintained in a fairly high state of productiveness. The cultural methods ought to be such as to counteract as far as possible the droughty tendency and to prevent erosion.

It is not a grass soil, although orchard grass and clover can be made to grow fairly well. Greater dependence must therefore be placed on forage crops, such as sorghum, kafir, cowpeas, soybeans and rye to supply feed for the livestock.

Although the greater part of the Bates fine sandy loam has been brought under cultivation, much of the sandier and more rolling land remains timbered. The latter occurs extensively in Cedar, Dade and St. Clair counties. The silt loam phase and most of the loam are under cultivation. In general, the proximity to railroads determines the extent to which the type is tilled, the more remote areas being thus only partially developed.

Land values range from ten dollars to twenty-five dollars per acre for the timber and poorly improved areas and fifty dollars to eighty-five dollars per acre for the better land near the tovms. Farm improvements are of fair quality. Better transportation facilities would add greatly to the extension and profitableness of farming on this soil type.

Soil management on this land varies with the phase of the soil and the location. It can not be considered particularly valuable agricultural land, although areas of it are very good and proper systems of manage ment will bring good money returns. It is a soil which is well drained so that the principal problems are those of erosion and of fertility maintenance.

The composition of this soil area, showing the Bates silt loam samples and the Bates fine sandy loam samples averaged separately, is given in the following tables:

  

Composition of Bates Silt Loam.      

(Average of 7 analyses.)      

     

                                  Lime requirement     Nitrogen   Phosphorus    Potassium      

                                  lbs.                 lbs.       lbs.          lbs.      

                                  ================     ========   ==========    =========     

In 2,000,000 pounds of soil       2920                 1260       25425         4845      

In 2,000,000 pounds of subsoil    2795                 760        22645         2040      

Composition of Bates Fine Sandy Loam.      

(Average of 4 analyses.)      

     

                                  Lime requirement     Nitrogen   Phosphorus    Potassium      

                                  lbs.                 lbs.       lbs.          lbs.      

                                  ================     ========   ==========    =========     

In 2,000,000 pounds of soil       2235                 610        18115         1630      

In 2,000,000 pounds of subsoil    1190                 595        21570         3120      

The analyses show decided deficiencies of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, particularly in the more sandy areas. While little experimental data dealing with this land is available there is little doubt from its general composition that it will respond to both phosphates and potash while in many cases lime will be needed for successful legume growing. The fact that the land is not very good bluegrass land warrants the recommendation of hardier grasses, such as orchard grass, timothy, and meadow fescue, combined with alsike and white clover for pastures.

Red clover will grow satisfactorily on much of this land which is not too acid and it can be combined with timothy for a hay crop. Liming and the use of phosphates will usually make red clover satisfactory on practically all of this soil. On the better areas, alfalfa may be grown economically, where lime and manure are used.

The Oswego silt loam, like the Summit silt loam, forms part of the dark prairie soils of southwest Missouri. In fact, where these two types come in contact, separation is extremely difficult and the boundaries therefore are in some places more or less arbitrary. Geographically and agriculturally the Oswego silt loam lies between the Summit silt loam on the north and the lighter Cherokee and Bates soils on the south. In its physical properties it is characterized by a dark gray silty surface soil, nearly level topography ,and a compact clayey subsoil. Typically the surface soil is a dark gray or grayish brown to black, mellow silt loam, becoming somewhat lighter in color at about ten or twelve inches, or in the lower six inches of the top silty layer. This light-colored subsurface is not always present, although in general, the subsurface is lighter colored than the surface soil. Usually the well-developed gray layer occurs only on broad, level areas, and is absent where the surface is rolling. The subsoil at a depth of about sixteen to eighteen inches is a dark drab to yellowish gray, stiff, tenacious clay, passing gradually at about thirty to thirty-six inches into a more friable silty clay, mottled gray and yellow. The layer of heavy clay outcrops in banks and cuts as a brown, granular clay. Where the heavy subsoil is hard and compact as on the flat poorly drained areas, it is locally known as hardpan. In very wet or dry seasons these areas give considerable trouble to the farmer.

The impervious character of the subsoil seems to be due to a compaction of the clay, rather than to a cementation of iron or other material.

The Oswego silt loam occurs as an irregular belt extending from Moniteau county to the Kansas State line, and includes parts of Cooper, Pettis, Johnson, Henry, Bates and Vernon counties. In the latter two counties it forms the level basin-like areas within the Summit silt loam, but to the east it occupies the broad interstream divides. The characteristic topography, which is level to undulating, is due largely to the uniform weathering of the shales from which the soil is derived and the underlying horizontal beds of limestone upon which the type rests. In general, the surface drainage is well established, but subdrainage is deficient.

The Oswego silt loam is a general farming soil, and in its productivity compares rather favorably with the Summit silt loam, although the average yields are considerably lower. Corn is the chief and usually the most profitable crop. Wheat and oats are also extensively grown. Clover is not an important crop on this soil but in recent years cowpeas and soybeans have come into wide use. Alfalfa can be made to grow only where the land is limed and sometimes drained and fertilized. In general, a large percent of the Oswego silt loam is used for grass and small grains than of the Summit silt loam. Systematic crop rotation is little practiced. Where rotations are used they do not usually include enough legumes. Land values range from $40 to $100 per acre.

The table given shows the composition of this soil:

  

Composition of Oswego Silt Loam.      

(Average of 8 analyses.)      

     

                                  Lime requirement     Nitrogen   Phosphorus    Potassium      

                                  lbs.                 lbs.       lbs.          lbs.      

                                  ================     ========   ==========    =========     

In 2,000,000 pounds of soil       2910                 1510       27785         5440      

In 2,000,000 pounds of subsoil    1905                 1575       28935         1425      

The deficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus are the important ones in this soil area. The need of lime, while variable, is usually significant.

Proper soil management includes the establishment of a crop rotation which contains a leguminous crop at least once in four years. Where lime can be secured cheaply it should be applied in order to make clover growing more certain and clover should then be included in the rotation.

Soybeans and cowpeas may be substituted for clover under some conditions. Farm manures should be carefully saved and applied to the land.

Phosphates can be applied with profit to wheat and usually to corn. Good results may also be expected on clover and grass.

Fall plowing is practiced quite largely on this soil. Where this is done the fields can be worked earlier in the spring, and a good seedbed can be secured more readily than in the case of spring plowing. Spring plowing is often late because of the rather poor subdrainage of this land. On the more level areas and under careful systems of farming, tile drainage will be found profitable. Certain areas such as seepy hill slopes and low lying tracts in the rolling areas will also respond to tiling.

The following statistics are taken from the last report of the Bureau of Labor Statistics and give the surplus products of Henry County for the year 1915, the last year available at the present time:

Live Stock - Cattle, 11,203 head; hogs, 51,168 head; horses and mules, 3,148 head; sheep, 3,620 head; jacks, stallions, 5 head.

Farm Crops - Wheat, 270,912 bushels; corn, 243,017 bushels; oats, 98,736 bushels; rye, 64 bushels; millet seed, 900 bushels; hay, 413 tons: broom corn, 204 pounds; popcorn, 204 pounds; bluegrass seed, 41,790 pounds; nuts, 7,508 pounds.

Mill Products - Flour, 63,955 barrels; corn meal, 150,000 pounds; bran, shipstuff, 9,500,000 pounds; feed, chops, 850,000 pounds.

Mine and Quarry Products - Coal, 157,233 tons; clay, 650 cars; macadam, 14 cars.

Forest Products - Lumber, 3 cars; logs, 2 cars; walnut logs, 16 cars; cordwood, 72 cars; excelsior or sawdust, 8 cars.

Farmyard Products - Poultry, live, 1,815,752 pounds; poultry, dressed, 1,164,750 pounds; eggs, 3,136,410 dozen; feathers, 51,440 pounds.

Stone and Clay Products - Brick, clay products, 41,055 tons.

Packing House Products - Hides and pelts, 34,966 pounds; dressed meats, 18,244 pounds; tallow, 1,600 pounds.

Flowers and Nursery Products - Nursery stock, 750 pounds; cut flowers, 750 pounds.

Dairy Products - Butter, 99,181 pounds; ice cream, 2,100 gallons; milk and cream, 73,340 gallons.

Wool and Mohair - Wool, 15,546 pounds.

Liquid Products - Soda water, 22,300 cases; vinegar, 300 gallons; cider, 300 gallons.

Fish and Game Products - Game, 68,258 pounds; furs, 10,194 pounds.

Medicinal Products - Roots and herbs, 10 pounds.

Vegetables - Vegetables, 682 pounds; potatoes, 15 bushels; sweet potatoes, 200 bushels; tomatoes, 10 bushels; onions, 13 bushels; canned vegetables and fruits, 3,256 pounds.

Fruits - Miscellaneous fresh fruits, 500 pounds; dried fruits, 150 pounds; apples, 306 barrels; plums, 170 pounds; grapes, 100 pounds; peaches, 550 pounds; pears, 1,150 pounds.

Apiary and Cane Products - Honey, 881 pounds; beeswax, 100 pounds; sorghum molasses, 145 gallons.

Unclassified Products - Paper bags, 216,000 pounds; mining machinery, 105 tons; coke, 914 tons; junk, 38 cars; ice, 249 tons; coal tar, 8,937 tons; cigars, 120,000.

Missouri School Yearbooks by County

History of Henry County, Missouri (1919) is maintained by GenealogyBuff with WebBBS 5.12.