The following is a map unit description from the "Soil Survey of Norfolk and Suffolk Counties, Massachusetts (Peragallo, 1989)"
CaC-Canton fine sandy loam, 8 to 15 percent slopes. This is a very deep, strongly sloping, well drained soil on the sides of hills and ridges and on uplands near outwash plains and terraces. Areas of the soil are irregular in shape and range from 6 to 100 acres.
Typically, the surface layer is black fine sandy loam about 1 inch thick. The subsurface layer is dark gray fine sandy loam about 1 inch thick. The subsoil is about 20 inches thick. It is yellowish brown fine sandy loam in the upper part and light yellowish brown fine sandy loam in the lower part. The substratum is gravelly loamy sand to a depth of 60 inches or more. It is light olive gray in the upper part and olive gray in the lower part. Some areas have more gravel in the subsoil. Some areas have less gravel in the substratum.
Included with this soil in mapping are many small areas of Chariton, Merrimac, and Montauk soils in smooth, convex areas. Also included are Scituate soils along drainageways. Also included are areas where stones 10 to 24 inches in diameter cover 1 to 15 percent of the surface. Included areas make up about 20 percent of the map unit.
Soil properties:Permeability.- Moderately rapid in the surface layer
and the subsoil and rapid in the substratum.
Available water capacity.- Low or moderate.
Soil reaction: Very strongly acid to moderately acid
throughout.
Depth to bedrock.- More than 60 inches.
Depth to the seasonal high water table: More than 6
feet.
Hydrologic group: B.
Most areas of this soil are woodland. Some areas are used as individual homesites.
This soil is suited to orchards, hay, and pasture. If the soil is farmed, stripcropping, conservation tillage, and cover crops help to reduce runoff and to control erosion.
Potential productivity for eastern white pine on this soil is high. The soil is easily managed for woodland. If conifers are grown, plant competition at regeneration is moderate. Thinning crowded stands to accepted standard stocking levels allows more vigorous growth. Shelterwood cutting, seed-tree cutting, and clearcutting help to establish natural regeneration or to provide suitable planting sites. Removing or controlling competing vegetation allows best growth of newly established seedlings. Pruning helps to improve the quality of white pine.
Designing buildings to conform to the natural slope of the land helps to overcome the slope limitation and to control erosion in disturbed areas, Land shaping is needed in some areas. Constructing roads on the contour, where possible, and planting roadbanks to well adapted grasses help to control erosion. If the soil is used as sites for septic tank absorption fields, ground water pollution is a hazard. Because of rapid permeability, the soil readily absorbs but does not adequately filter the effluent.
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