The following is a map unit description from the "Soil Survey of Norfolk and Suffolk Counties, Massachusetts (Peragallo, 1989)"
CaD-Canton fine sandy loam, 15 to 35 percent slopes. This is a very deep, moderately steep and steep, well drained soil on side slopes of upland hills. Areas of the soil are long and narrow or irregular in shape and range from 6 to 50 acres.
Typically, the surface layer is dark brown fine sandy loam about 2 inches 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 Charlton, Merrimac, and Montauk soils in landscape positions similar to those of the Canton soil. Also included are areas of soils that have slopes of less than 25 percent. Included areas make up about 1 5 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 homesites.
Potential productivity for eastern white pine on this soil is high. Management concerns are slope and the hazard of erosion. Constructing access roads and trails with grades between 2 and 10 percent and installing water bars help to control erosion. Minimizing soil disturbance and retaining the sponge-like mulch of leaves help to reduce runoff and control erosion. Thinning crowded stands to accepted standard stocking levels allows more vigorous growth of preferred trees. In thinning operations it is important to remove diseased, poorly formed, and otherwise undesirable trees. 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.
Slope is the main limitation of this soil for building sites. Extensive land shaping is generally needed. Designing buildings and lots to conform to the natural slope of the land helps to overcome the slope limitation and to control erosion in disturbed areas. Large amounts of cut and fill are generally needed when constructing roads on this soil. Constructing roads on the contour and planting roadbanks to well adapted grasses help to control erosion. Slope and rapid permeability are the main limitations to use of the soil as sites for septic tank absorption fields. 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. Installing distribution lines across the slope helps to prevent the effluent from breaking out on the surface. In some areas precautionary measures are needed to reduce the pollution hazard.
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