LOCATION CABOT VT MA NHEstablished Series
The Cabot series consists of poorly drained soils that formed in dense, loamy till on glaciated uplands and lowlands. They are shallow to dense basal till and very deep to bedrock. Permeability is moderate in the solum and slow or very slow in the dense substratum. Estimated saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the solum and low to moderately high in the dense substratum. Slope ranges from 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 40 inches and mean annual temperature is about 44 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Loamy, mixed, active, nonacid, frigid, shallow Typic Humaquepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Cabot silt loam on a 5 percent southeast facing slope, in a stony, wooded area. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--0 to 1 inches; slightly decomposed plant material comprised of leaves, needles, and twigs.
Ap--1 to 9 inches; very dark gray (5Y 3/1) silt loam, dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and medium roots; 5 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; abrupt wavy boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
Bg--9 to 14 inches; dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) silt loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few fine roots; common fine faint dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) iron depletions in the matrix; 10 percent rock fragments, strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (5 to 15 inches thick)
BCg--14 to 17 inches; dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) channery silt loam; massive; friable; many fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4, 10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 15 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
Cdg1--17 to 22 inches; dark olive gray (5Y 3/2) channery fine sandy loam; massive; firm; many fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4, 10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 20 percent rock fragments; strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Cdg2--22 to 65 inches; dark gray (N 4/0) channery silt loam; massive; firm; many fine prominent dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4, 10YR 4/6) masses of iron accumulation in the matrix; 20 percent rock fragments; moderately acid.
TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Vermont; Town of East Montpelier. 300 feet east of Chapple Pond, 6750 feet south of the Calais town line, in a wooded area. Latitude 44 degrees 18 minutes 54 seconds N, longitude 72 degrees 31 minutes 03 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the mineral solum is less than 20 inches. Depth to bedrock is greater than 60 inches. Rock fragments range from 5 to 35 percent in the solum and 5 to 50 percent in the substratum. The rock fragments consist mainly of schist, quartz, quartzite, shale, slate, or limestone. Reaction ranges from strongly acid to neutral in the A and B horizons, and is moderately acid to mildly alkaline in the C horizon. Carbonates are present in some pedons below a depth of 40 inches.
The Ap, or A, horizon has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 2 to 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam, or fine sandy loam in the fine earth fraction.
The Bg horizon is neutral or has hue of 10YR to 5Y, or 5GY, value of 2 to 5, and chroma of 0 to 2. It is silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam in the fine earth fraction.
The BCg horizon where present, has hue of 10YR to 5Y, value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 1 or 2. It is silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam or fine sandy loam in the fine earth fraction.
The Cdg horizon is neutral or has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, 5Y or 5GY, value of 2 to 5, and chroma of 0 to 2. Some pedons have chroma higher than 2. It is silt loam, loam, very fine sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy loam in the fine earth fraction. The Cdg horizon has plates or is massive. It is firm, to extremely firm.
COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in the same family. The Brayton, Monarda, Norwell, Pillsbury, Ridgebury and Stissing soils are in related families. Brayton, Monarda, Pillsbury, and Ridgebury soils have dominant chroma higher than 2 in a subhorizon of the B or BC horizon within a depth of 30 inches. The mean annual temperature of Norwell, Ridgebury and Stissing soils at a depth of 20 inches is between 47 and 59 degrees Fahrenheit. Monarda, Pillsbury, Ridgebury and Stissing soils have, in all layers between 10 inches below the mineral soil surface and the densic contact, pH of 5.0 or more (in CaCl2). Norwell soils have texture of loamy sand to coarse sand in the particle size control section.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Cabot soils are nearly level to moderately steep soils on till plains, moraines, mountains and lowland areas. They are on slightly concave back slopes and foot slopes, on toe slopes and in depressions and drainageways. Tree-tip pit and mound topography is common in unplowed areas. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. The soil formed in dense loamy till that is derived principally from schistose rocks and impure limestones. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 50 inches and the mean annual air temperature ranges from 38 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit. The frost free season ranges from 70 to 135 days. Elevation ranges from 500 to 2000 feet above mean sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Brayton, Buckland, Colrain, Marlow, Peacham, Peru, Pomfret, Sunapee, Tunbridge, Vershire, Westbury, and Woodstock soils. Brayton soils have less gray in the B horizon. Colrain and Marlow soils are well drained. Peacham soils are very poorly drained. Buckland, Peru, and Sunapee soils are moderately well drained. Pomfret soils are somewhat excessively drained. Tunbridge and Vershire soils are well drained and moderately deep to bedrock. Woodstock soils are somewhat excessively drained and shallow to bedrock.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Poorly drained. Permeability is moderate in the solum and slow or very slow in the substratum. Estimated saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high or high in the solum and low to moderately high in the dense substratum.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are wooded, but small areas are used for hay and pasture, most of which have been cleared of stones. Common trees are red maple, white and red spruce, tamarack, hemlock, balsam fir, white cedar, white pine, elm sugar maple and other hardwoods tolerant of wet conditions. Alder and willow are common in idle areas.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Vermont, New Hampshire, the northern part of Massachusetts, and possibly Maine; MLRA 143 and 144B. The series is extensive.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Amherst, Massachusetts.
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Essex County, Vermont, 1948.
REMARKS: The horizons and features diagnostic for the typical pedon are:
a. Umbric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 9 inches (0i and Ap horizons).
b. Cambic horizon - the zone from 9 to 17 inches (Bg and BCg horizons).
c. Redoximorphic features - iron depleted matrix from 9 to 17 inches, iron depletions from 9 to 14 inches, masses of iron accumulations from 14 to 17 inches.
d. densic contact at 17 inches.
ADDITIONAL DATA: NSSL laboratory data is available for the following pedons: S59VT-9-1 (SSIR20) S59VT-9-3 (SSIR20) S65VT-3-5 S65VT-3-3A