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SOIL SURVEY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTYP WISCONSIN 
tilizer. The regular practice of making an acre application of about 
200 pounds of 20 per cent superphosphate, or an equivalent amount 
of other phosphates, on all land being sown to small grains and 
clover is necessary to replace the phosphorus sold in milk and the 
bone of animals. The phosphate should be spread broadcast either 
with a broadcast fertilizer distributor or, better with a fertilizer 
grain drill which applies the fertilizer, grain, and grass seed at one 
operation. The small amount of phosphorus used for the corn at 
the hill has been largely absorbed by the corn, and whatever may be 
left is in small spots or rows and consequently does the grain and 
hay little good. 
  The benefit of the phosphate to the clover is even greater than to 
the grain, and this is especially true when alfalfa is grown instead 
of clover. When alfalfa is to be kept on the ground for two or more 
years, a much heavier application of phosphate should be made at 
the time it is sown with the nurse crop. In that case, from 400 to 
500 pounds should be used, or, if desired, 300 pounds may be applied 
at seeding and 200 pounds used as a top-dressing on the alfalfa the 
third year, the application to be made after growth stops in the fall 
or before it starts in the spring. 
  Most of the soils of this county contain a considerable amount of 
lime and not many fields require liming even to grow alfalfa, but it 
is desirable to test the soil for acidity before seeding alfalfa. Land 
that is moderately acid should have an acre application of 2 or 3 
tons of ground limestone when it is being prepared for corn the year 
before it is to be seeded with alfalfa. 
  Muck or peat soils are naturally high in nitrogen on account of 
their large content of organic matter and are usually fairly well 
supplied with phosphorus, but they are very deficient in potash. 
Therefore a fertilizer containing potash only will ordinarily produce 
as large yields on such soils as will manure or a complete fertilizer. 
For corn, 200 pounds of muriate of potash an acre is a good appli- 
cation. When applied with a corn planter having a fertilizer attach- 
ment, the fertilizer should be drilled along the row rather than 
dropped at the hill, as such a large amount applied at the hill is apt 
to injure the seed. 
  Sandy soils are inextensive in Winnebago County. Their special 
needs are potash and organic matter, and when used for general or 
dairy farming their fertility can be improved by using a fertilizer 
relatively high in potash and by plowing under as much green 
manure as possible in addition to the use of stable manure. 
  In growing truck or vegetable crops it is important to incorporate 
as much organic matter in the soil as possible through the use of 
stable manure and by plowing under green-manure crops. In addi- 
tion, the use of a complete commercial fertilizer in sufficiently large 
amounts produces the heavier yields necessary to realize a profit from 
these crops. 
                            SUMMARY 
  Winnebago County, includes a land area of 444 square miles. It 
occupies a nearly level plain, but some areas are gently sloping, and 
there is very little rough land in the county. 
  Lake Winnebago, which borders the county on the east, is the 
largest inland lake in Wisconsin. The county lies entirely within 
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