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Horizon Variations of Three New Hampshire Podzol Profiles
Author(s) -
Lyford W. H.
Publication year - 1939
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj1939.036159950003000c0051x
Subject(s) - podzol , horizon , citation , soil survey , library science , archaeology , history , computer science , geology , soil science , soil water , astronomy , physics
In order to record permanently and in detail the characteristics of severl New Hampshire podzol profiles over a considerable distance, drawings were made using a scale of an inch to the foot. The variations in thickness of the ash-gray A2 horizon of podzols may well be shown by means of photographs but the variations in position and thickness of the various B horizons may not be as easily shown. Consequently, drawings are more satisfactory because they show at-a glance the outline of all the horizons. Soil profile drawings have been used by many investigators for various purposes but have not been used for a detailed presentation of podzol profiles. Vertical banks of soil, recently excavated for highway construction, were used in this study. After refreshing the profile, a string was stretched across the face of the • profile and was made horizontal by means of a spirit level. Strings, weighted at the lower end and conveniently marked at six-inch intervals, were then suspended from the top of the profile. These were placed one foot distant from each other and were adjusted so that one of the six-inch marks coincided with the horizontal base line. Thus, the profile was blocked off and the use of the horizontal base line allowed the slope of the profile to be shown. The various horizons could be outlined rapidly and accurately by the use of a similarly blocked sketch paper. Three podzol profiles are presented, each over a length of about twenty-five feet. There are several interesting and characteristic features which may be pointed out briefly. ' The Becket loam profile, Figure 1, was located in a fresh roadside cut in the township of Washington, N. H. Latitude-43 10' 32", Longitude-72 6' 36", Altitude-1110 feet. (The size of the original drawing has been diminished for publication and each section of the scale line shown at the bottom of the page represents one foot.) This soil has been developed from compacted glacial till occurring in conjunction with granite and gneiss and represents about the average podzol development on zonal soils in central and northern New Hampshire. Material from the road had been thrown upon the surface of this soil but the original welldecompos.ed organic AQS horizon immediately above the bleicherde still remained and the AQ horizons only had been disturbed. Ten horizons were mapped and are briefly described as follows: