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<br />county. The native vegetation was tall prairie
<br />grass and scattered patches of oaks.
<br />In a representative profile, the surface layer
<br />is very dark grayish-brown loamy fine sand about 9
<br />inches thick. The subsoil, about 24 inches thick,
<br />consists of alternating layers of dark grayish-
<br />brown, dark-brown, and dark yellowish-brown fine
<br />sand, loamy fine sand, and fine sandy loam. The
<br />underlying material is yellowish-brown and light
<br />olive-brown fine sand or sand that contains many,
<br />large, grayish-brown mottles.
<br />Litchfield soils have low available moisture
<br />capacity and medium to rapid internal drainage.
<br />They are rapidly penneable. The water table is at
<br />a depth of 3 to 5 feet during wet seasons. This
<br />somewhat improves the supply of moisture to plants.
<br />Roots develop rapidly and grow deep. The surface
<br />layer is easily blown. The organic-matter content
<br />is moderate, and the natural fertility is low.
<br />Representative profile of Litchfield loamy fine
<br />sand, in a cultivated field, NWl/4 NEl/4 NWl/4 sec.
<br />20, T. 119 N., R. 21 W.:
<br />Ap--0 to 9 inches, very dark grayish-brown (lOYR
<br />3/2) loamy fine sand; fine reticulate inclu-
<br />sions of dark grayish brown (lOYR 4/2) and
<br />brown (lOYR 4/3); cloddy; common fine roots;
<br />medium acid; clear, abrupt boundary.
<br />B1--9 to 15 inches, dark grayish-brown (lOYR 4/2)
<br />and brown (lOYR 4/3) loamy fine sand and fine
<br />sand; few, fine, distinct, grayish-brown (2.5Y
<br />5/2) and dark yellowish-brown (lOYR 3/4) mot-·
<br />tles; weak, fine and medium, subangular blocky
<br />structure; common roots; mediwn acid;.· clear,
<br />abrupt boundary.
<br />B2lt~-15 to 24 inches, dark-brown (lOYR 3/3) and
<br />dark yellowish-brown · (lOYR 3/4) fine sandy
<br />loam; many, medium, prominent, grayish-brown
<br />(2.SY 5/2) mottles and faint, dark· yellowish-
<br />brown (lOYR 4/4) mottles; weak, medium and
<br />coarse, subangular blocky structure; very fri-
<br />able; few roots; many, very fine, tubular
<br />pores; few, thin, patchy clay films on faces
<br />of peds; medium acid; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />B3--24 to 33 inches, dark yellowish-brown (lOYR
<br />4/4) sand; many, medium and large, prominent,
<br />grayish-brown (2.5Y 5/2) mottles and common,
<br />fine and medium, prominent, yellowish-brown
<br />(lOYR 5/8) mottles; weak, coarse, subangular
<br />blocky structure; friable; weakly cemented;
<br />few roots; medium acid; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />Cl--33 to 38 inches, yellowish-brown (lOYR 5/4) fine
<br />sand; common, large, prominent, grayish-brown
<br />(2.5Y 5/2) mottles and faint yellowish-brown
<br />(lOYR 5/8) mottles; massive; very friable;
<br />medium acid; clear, smooth boundary.
<br />C2--38 to 60 inches, light olive-brown (2.5Y 5/4)
<br />sand; many, medium and large, prominent,
<br />yellowish-brown (lOYR 5/8) mottles and faint,
<br />grayish-brown (2.5Y 5/2) mottles; single grain;
<br />loose; medium acid.
<br />The Ap horizon is very dark brown or very dark
<br />grayish brown. In places the A horizon is 12 to 14
<br />56
<br />inches thick. The Band C horizons consist of al-
<br />ternating strata of fine sand to sand, loamy fine
<br />sand, loamy sand, fine sandy loam, loam, silt loam,
<br />and light clay loam. The strata of silt loam, loam,
<br />and light clay loam are less common and are
<br />thinner than the strata of sandy loam and fine
<br />sandy loam. The combined thickness of the bands of
<br />fine sandy loam or finer within a 40-inch depth
<br />ranges from 4 to 12 inches but is commonly 5 to 9
<br />inches. These bands occur·mainly at a depth between
<br />15 and 48 inches. Some areas have weakly cemented
<br />horizons. The C horizon is dominantly grayish brown
<br />in color but ranges from dark grayish brown to light
<br />olive brown. Reaction of the solum ranges from
<br />strongly acid to medium acid.
<br />These soils, as mapped in Hennepin County, have
<br />a thinner, darker colored A horizon and contain more
<br />medium and coarse sand than the defined range for
<br />the Litchfield series. However, these differences
<br />do not alter the usefulness and behavior of these
<br />soi ls.
<br />Litchfield soils have finer sand and have finer
<br />textured layers in the Band C horizons than associ-
<br />ated Duelm soils. They lack the continuous, thick,
<br />loamy C horizon of the similar Duelm loamy sand,
<br />loamy subsoil variant. Litchfield soils are browner
<br />and not so mottled throughout as the associated Das-
<br />sel soils. Litchfield soils are mottled in the B
<br />horizon, but Rasset soils are not. They also lack
<br />the shaly layers that are present in the associated
<br />Rasset soils. •
<br />Litchfield loamy fine sand (Lu).--This nearly
<br />level soil occurs on broad flats and slight rises,
<br />mainly within areas of Dassel soils. A few areas
<br />lie in narrow drainageways below Anoka soils.
<br />Areas range in size from 2 to about 120 acres.
<br />· Included in mapping were small areas of soils
<br />that have a sandy loam, loam, and silt loam surface
<br />layer. Areas of soils that have a silt loam surface
<br />layer and subsoil that extend to a depth of 18
<br />inches to about 25 inches were also included. Small,
<br />scattered depressions contain areas of Biscay clay
<br />loam, depressional, or Kennebeck soils.
<br />Most areas of this soil are in cropland. The
<br />hazards of drought and soil blowing are severe. Corn
<br />and soybean growth is limited by drought in most
<br />years unless rainfall is timely. This soil is good
<br />to fair for small grain and is well suited to
<br />specialty crops, such as irrigated potatoes. (Ca-
<br />pability unit IIIs-1; woodland group 3; building
<br />site group 2)
<br />Marsh
<br />Marsh (Ma) consists of shallow lakes and ponds
<br />that contain reeds, sedges, and other aquatic
<br />vegetation. Most areas are wet all year long, and
<br />the soil material is too wet to be classified. Most
<br />areas occur as borders around lakes or along streams
<br />and rivers and are unfeasible to drain.
<br />This land type consists mostly of areas of deep
<br />Peaty muck. Areas of Peaty muck over loam, Peaty
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