USDA - Soil Conservation Service
Pedon Narrative Description
DATE Sampled: 06/29/1992

Soil Series: FREETOWN

Map Unit Name: Freetown muck, 0 to 1 percent slopes

Site Identification #: 92MA023021

Map Unit Symbol: 52 Note ID: Yield ID:

Laboratory Information

Lab Pedon #: 2305202 Source Lab Id:

Location Information

Soil Survey Area #: 023 MLRA: 144A

County FIPS Code:023

County Name: Plymouth County, Massachusetts

Soil Survey Area Name: Plymouth County, Massachusetts

Location Description: Approximately 2,000 feet west of Pleasant Street, at a point 0.65 miles south of the intersection of Pleasant St. and Reed St., in the town of Hanson.

Quadrangle Name:

Latitude: 42 degrees 1 minutes 22.0 seconds N

Longitude: 70 degrees 51 minutes 36.0 seconds W

UTM Zone: UTM Easting: UTM Northing:

Photograph #: R0362-22

Description Category: Description for research study

Pedon Category: Typical pedon for series

Slope Characteristics Information
Slope: 0 percent

Elevation: 55.0 feet

Physiography:
Local: Bog

Microrelief:
tree throw feature
Elevation: 2.0 inches

Classification: ____ , ____ , ____ , ____ , ____ ____

Landuse: Forest land not grazed

Stoniness: 0.00 percent

Permeability: Very slow

Natural Drainage Class: VPD

Parent Material: weathered organic from organic.

Vegetative Information
Plant Name: Atlantic White Cedar, Gray Birch, High Bush Blueberry, Sweet Pepper Bush, Spagnum Moss

Described by: Peter Fletcher

Notes: Weather-sunny 80 degrees F.; Pit and mound topography, standing water within some depressions, blackened leaves; EPA project aerial photo.

Oi-- 0 to 1 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2), after exposure to air, and black (10YR 2/1), crushed, fibric material; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine throughout and common medium and coarse throughout; 80.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 40.0 percent fiber rubbed; 4.2 Bromcresol green; abrupt smooth boundary. Overlying the Oi horizon is a 1-inch thick mat of Spagnum moss; immediately after removed from the pit and being exposed to air, soil samples changed color from a reddish hue to a darker, less red hue; rubbed color; pit excavated with a shovel to a depth of 20" and then a muck sampler was used to collect samples from 20 to 84 inches; pyrophosphate color test-Oi - 10YR 5/3; coarse wood fragments Oi - 5%.

Oe-- 1 to 2.5 inches; very dark gray (5YR 3/1), after exposure to air, and very dark gray (5YR 3/1), crushed, partially decomposed organic matter; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine throughout and common medium and coarse throughout; 60.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 50.0 percent fiber rubbed; 4.2 Bromcresol green; abrupt smooth boundary. Pyrophosphate color test - Oe - 10YR 5/3; Coarse wood fragments - Oe - 10%.

Oa1--2.5 to 7 inches; very dark gray (5YR 3/1), after exposure to air, and very dark gray (5YR 3/1), crushed, sapric material; weak medium granular structure; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots throughout and common fine throughout; 45.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 20.0 percent fiber rubbed; 4.2 Bromcresol green; clear wavy boundary. Moderate odor of rotten eggs - interpreted as being hydrogen sulfide; pyrophosphate color test - Oa1 - 7.5YR 3/3; coarse wood fragments - Oa1 - 5%.

Oa2-- 7 to 11.5 inches; dark reddish brown (5YR 3/2), after exposure to air, and very dark gray (5YR 3/1), crushed, sapric material; moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; 25.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 5.0 percent fiber rubbed; 4.2 Bromcresol green; clear wavy boundary. Difficult to read pH colors because of suspended solids; coarse wood fragments - Oa2 - 10%; Pyrophosphate color - Oa2 - 7.5YR 4/3.

Oa3--11.5 to 20 inches; very dark gray (5YR 3/1), after exposure to air, and very dark gray (5YR 3/1), crushed, sapric material; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 20.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 5.0 percent fiber rubbed; 4.2 Bromcresol green; clear wavy boundary. Pyrophosphate color test - Oa3 - 7.5YR 4/3; coarse wood fragments - Oa3 - 2%.

Oa4--20 to 68 inches; very dark gray (5YR 3/1), after exposure to air, and very dark gray (5YR 3/1), after exposure to air, and sapric material; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 70.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 15.0 percent fiber rubbed; 4.2 Bromcresol green; clear wavy boundary. Pyrophosphate color test - Oa4 - 10YR7/3; Coarse wood fragments - Oa4 - 5%.

Oa5--68 to 84 inches; black (10YR 2/1), after exposure to air, and black (10YR 2/1), crushed, sapric material; massive; very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; 10.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 2.0 percent fiber unrubbed; 5.0 Bromcresol green. Pyrophosphate color test - Oa5 - 10YR 5/3; coarse wood fragments - Oa5 - 0%.