Particle size analyses were made on 10 profiles representing four soil series. The profiles were located on a traverse perpendicular to the Missouri River from the Missouri River bluffs in northwestern Doniphan County, Kansas, to a point in southwestern Brown County, 24 miles from the river. The first sampling site was located 2 miles from the Missouri River. Subsequent sites were located at approximately 2½‐mile intervals. The thickness of the loess, as measured at most sites, decreased from approximately 100 feet at the river bluffs to 6 feet at the tenth site. The textural composition and pH of each horizon were determined in the laboratory. The texture of the C, B, and A horizons was observed to become finer with increased distance from the river up to 16 miles from the bluff. Beyond that point there was little if any decrease in particle size with distance. The change in texture of the C horizon with distance from the river appears to be the dominant factor in the development of the four soil series, Monona, Marshall, Sharpsburg, Grundy, which have not been finally correlated in this area. This work further substantiates the belief that the Missouri River Valley flood plain was a source of some of the loessial deposits of northeastern Kansas.
Underlying a small eolian soil deposit east of the Connecticut River, Triassic till and stratified sand and gravels had large particles, low free iron oxide content, red hue, and montmorin. The wind‐blown soil near the source had small particles, high free iron oxide content, brown color, and no montmorin. In the thinner soil mantle at a distance from the source larger particles appeared; the free iron oxide content decreased; the soil became redder; and montmorin appeared. All of these facts indicate that the distant profiles were mixed. An index of mixing based on mean size was defined using 0 for eolian sediment and 100 for the underlying deposit. The index was as great as 75 in the B and 50 in the A horizons. The presence of unstable montmorin and the scarcity of free iron oxide in the mixed profiles indicate that the mixing phenomenon was post glacial, relatively recent, and likely due to tree throw. From data on the Connecticut, Illinois and New Jersey deposits a prediction was made concerning the change in particle size with distance in any deposit.
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