LOCATION CUSHING WI+MNEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Haplic Glossudalfs
TYPICAL PEDON: Cushing fine sandy loam, on a southwest-facing slope of 35 percent, in a woodland, at an elevation of 990 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
A--0 to 5 inches; black (10YR 2/1) fine sandy loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; moderate fine granular structure; friable; many very fine, fine and medium fibrous roots; many very fine and fine and few medium tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; neutral; clear wavy boundary. (6 to 9 inches thick)
E--5 to 15 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam; light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; moderate fine platy structure; friable; common very fine, fine and medium fibrous roots; common very fine and fine and few medium tubular pores; 5 percent gravel; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
B/E1--15 to 24 inches; 70 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam (Bt); moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine and fine fibrous roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; common distinct brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films on ped faces; penetrated by tongues of brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam (E), light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; moderate fine platy structure; friable; 3 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary.
B/E2--24 to 33 inches; 85 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) sandy clay loam (Bt); strong medium prismatic parting to weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine and fine fibrous roots; few very fine and fine tubular pores; many distinct brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films on ped faces; penetrated by tongues of brown (10YR 5/3) fine sandy loam (E), light gray (10YR 7/2) dry; friable; 3 percent gravel; neutral; gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of the B/E horizons is 4 to 20 inches thick)
Bt--33 to 57 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) loam; strong medium prismatic parting to moderate medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine fibrous roots; few very fine tubular pores; many distinct brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; brown (10YR 5/3) sand skeletons on prism faces; 3 percent gravel; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary. (4 to 28 inches thick)
Btk--57 to 65 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; strong coarse prismatic parting to strong medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few very fine fibrous roots; few prominent brown (7.5YR 4/3) clay films on faces of peds; 3 percent gravel; few fine prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; few fine light gray (10YR 7/2) soft masses of calcium carbonates; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear wavy boundary. (0 to 15 inches thick)
Bk--65 to 73 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; strong coarse prismatic structure; friable; few very fine fibrous roots; 3 percent gravel; many medium prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations; common fine light gray (10YR 7/2) masses of calcium carbonates; moderately effervescent; moderately alkaline; gradual wavy boundary. (0 to 20 inches thick)
BC--73 to 85 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) fine sandy loam; massive structure; friable; 3 percent gravel; many coarse prominent strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulations and few fine gray (7.5YR 6/1) iron depletions; many medium fine light gray (10YR 7/2) masses of calcium carbonates; violently effervescent; moderately alkaline.
TYPE LOCATION: Burnett County, Wisconsin; about 10 miles southeast of Grantsburg, WI.; 1450 feet south and 2230 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 33, T. 37 N., R. 18 W.; Trade Lake USGS quadrangle; lat. 45 degrees 39 minutes 13 seconds N. and long. 92 degrees 36 minutes 1 seconds W.; NAD27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: Depth to the base of the argillic is 40 to 70 inches. Volume of gravel ranges from 0 to 15 percent throughout. Volume of cobbles ranges from 0 to 5 throughout. Reaction in the soil ranges from moderately acid to moderately alkaline.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 to 4, and chroma of 1 to 3. Low value and chroma are typical of the A horizon. The Ap or A horizon is loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt loam. Severely eroded phases are sandy clay loam or clay loam.
The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 or 3. Dry value is 7 or more. It is loamy sand, loamy fine sand, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, loam, or silt loam.
Cushing soils have E/B or B/E horizons, or both. These horizons have tongues of E material surrounding thin, columnlike upward extensions of Bt material or wholly surrounding small isolated remnants of Bt horizon. The E part is like the E horizon and the Bt part is like the Bt horizon.
The Bt horizons have hue of 7.5YR, 10YR, or 2.5Y; value of 4 or 5; and chroma of 3 to 5. They are sandy loam, fine sandy loam, loam, sandy clay loam, or clay loam. Some pedons have BC horizons with color and texture similar to the Bt horizon.
The Btk and Bk horizons are similar in color and texture to the overlaying Bt horizons. They are effervescent and have masses of calcium carbonates apparent.
The BC horizon typically has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 3 or 4. Less commonly, it has hue of 7.5YR or 2.5Y. It is loam, sandy loam, fine sandy loam, or sandy clay loam. Some pedons have distinct or prominent high and low chroma mottles at depths between 30 and 85 inches.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Duluth, Fenwood, Greatscott, Rozellville, Sol, Warba and Watton series. The Duluth, Fenwood, Greatscott, Rozellville, Sol, Warba and Watton series do not have a calcic horizon.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Parent material: loamy calcareous till
Landform: ground moraines
Slope: 20 to 35 percent
Elevation: 670 to 1450 feet
Mean annual temperature: 37 to 45 degrees F
Mean annual precipitation: 24 to 34 inches
Frost-free period: short 17 days and long 159 days; median 89 to 130 days
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Alstad, Bluffton, and Branstad series. The somewhat poorly drained Alstad, the very poorly drained Bluffton, and the moderately well drained Branstad soils form the drainage sequence with the Cushing soils. In places, a moderately wet phase of Cushing is also associated. The depth to saturation on this phase is 40 to 60 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Surface runoff is medium. Permeability is moderate in the solum and moderately slow in the underlying till. Saturation typically occurs below 60 inches in April and May.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas have been cleared and are being used for general farming and pasture. Corn, small grains, and forages are the major crops grown. Native vegetation is grass, mixed deciduous and coniferous forests with northern red oak, maple, elm, American basswood, eastern white pine, and red pine predominating.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northwestern Wisconsin and parts of east- central Minnesota. These soils are moderately extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: St. Paul, Minnesota
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Carlton County, Minnesota, 1973.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Ochric Epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 15inches (A and E horizons)
Albic Horizon - zone from 5 to 15 inches (E horizon)
Glossic Horizon - zone from 15 to 33 inches (B/E1 and B/E2 horizons)
Argillic Horizon - zone from 15 to 65 inches (B/E1, B/E2, Bt and Btk horizons)
Calcic Horizon - zone from 57 to 73 inches (Btk and Bk horizons)