Soils Descriptions

Preface    Introduction    Geology    Soil Descriptions    Mapping    Interpretive Maps    References

Official Soil Descriptions

Andover, Buchanan, Hagerstown, Laidig, Murrill, Opequon

There are two main parent materials of soil series found at the Agronomy Farm, colluvial and residual.  As the soil moves down the landscape it takes on different characteristics than that of soil formed directly from the bedrock below.  Hagerstown, Opequon, and Laidig were the three series observed that formed from residual bedrock.  Andover, Buchanan, and Murrill are formed from soil moving down slope.  There are Official Soil Descriptions included in this report.  They follow the 5 pit descriptions done by the Supersols at the beginning of the semester.

            Colluvial soils mapped on the Agronomy Farm included Andover, Buchanan, and Murrill.  Andover and Buchanan soil have many limitations on them.  Many have fragic horizons (Bx) in them preventing water flow.  The fragipan is easily discernable due to the redoximorphic features it produces.  A fragipan also restricts roots from penetrating the layer.  This limits crop root development; therefore producing very little in terms of agricultural products.  Drainage is also a problem on the Andover and Buchanan soils.  These soils are poorly drained and moderately well drained to somewhat poorly drained, respectively.  In contrast, the Murrill soils are excellent soils.  Formed at the bottom of the slope in a colluvial slurry, the Murrill soils are well drained.  These soils also have a lithologic discontinuity in them.  We described a pit in which we could see limestone bedrock underneath the colluvial slurry material.  Murrill is used for agricultural products including corn and soybeans. 

    The residual soils have their place on the top of the ridge and the bottom of the valley.  All of these soils are well drained.  Laidig, formed directly from the sandstone, finds it place on top.  The Laidig soil is formed from sandstone parent materials.  Since Laidig soils are usually situated on steep slopes, they have limited applications.  Hagerstown and Opequon lay down on the valley floor.  The only difference between Hagerstown and Opequon is the depth to their limestone parents.  The Opequon is much more shallow than Hagerstown soil, which creates some land use restrictions.  Both of these soils are excellent for agriculture, however.