LOCATION LESLIE MOEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Argiaquic Argialbolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Leslie silt loam - on a 3 percent north-facing slope in a cultivated field. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak fine granular structure; friable; common roots; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary.
A--7 to 12 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak medium subangular blocky structure parting to moderate fine granular; friable; common roots; few fine dark iron and manganese accumulations; moderately acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ap and A horizons is 10 to 18 inches.)
Eg1--12 to 16 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) silt loam, gray (10YR 6/1) dry; streaks of very dark gray (10YR 3/1); moderate thin platy structure; friable; few roots; common fine faint dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) iron depletions; few very fine dark iron and manganese accumulations; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
Eg2--16 to 19 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) silt loam; moderate thin platy structure; friable; few roots; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation throughout; common fine dark iron and manganese concretions; light gray (10YR 7/1) coatings on faces of peds; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Eg horizon is 4 to 12 inches.)
Bt--19 to 22 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silty clay loam; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; friable; few roots; few faint clay films on faces of peds; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation throughout; common fine dark iron and manganese concretions; light gray (10YR 7/1) coatings in old root channels; strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (0 to 5 inches thick)
Btg1--22 to 36 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay; moderate fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few roots; common faint clay films on faces of peds; areas of yellowish brown are iron accumulations; common fine dark iron and manganese concretions; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
Btg2--36 to 42 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; firm; few faint clay films on faces of peds; areas of yellowish brown are iron accumulations; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Btg horizon is 18 to 42 inches.)
BCg--42 to 60 inches; light gray (10YR 6/1) and yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silt loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; firm; the areas with yellowish brown color are iron accumulations; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Lafayette County, Missouri; 6 miles south of Mayview; 85 feet north and 100 feet east of the southwest corner of sec. 12, T. 51 N., R. 2 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The particle size control section averages between 35 and 45 percent clay; some subhorizons have as much as 48 percent. Maximum clay content is more than 40 percent in at least one subhorizon. Sand content averages less than 5 percent.
The Ap or A horizon has value of 2 or 3, 4 or 5 dry, and chroma of 1 or 2. The E horizon has value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 or 2. Reaction is neutral to strongly acid.
The Bt or B/A horizon has color value of 3 to 5 and chroma of 1 to 4. It is silt loam or silty clay loam and moderately or strongly acid.
The Btg horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 4 to 6 and chroma of 1 to 6. Color of the BCg horizon is similar to the Btg horizon and it is silt loam or silty clay loam. Reaction is strongly acid to neutral.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Arbela, Humeston, and Tetonka series. Arbela soils have more than 5 percent sand in the particle size control section. Humeston soils have value of 3 or less throughout the Bt horizon. Tetonka soils have mean annual soil temperature of less than 51 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Leslie soils are on ridgetops and side slopes of hills on uplands. Slope gradients range from 0 to 9 percent and the stronger slopes are mostly concave or plane. The soils formed in 5 to 10 feet of loess. The mean annual temperature ranges from 51 to 57 degrees F., and mean annual precipitation ranges from 32 to 40 inches.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Arisburg, McGirk, and Winfield soils. Arisburg and McGirk soils do not have E horizons. Winfield soils have less clay. Arisburg soils are higher on the slope. McGirk and Winfield soils are on lower slopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly and poorly drained. Runoff is medium and low. Permeability is slow. A perched water table has an upper limit of 1.0 to 2.0 feet where somewhat poorly drained and 0 to 1.5 feet where poorly drained from November to May in most years.
USE AND VEGETATION: Leslie soils are used for cultivated crops and hay and pasture. Native vegetation is tall prairie grasses and widely scattered deciduous trees.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Areas of the river hills along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers in Missouri. The series is of small extent.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Pike County, Missouri, 1912.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this series are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 12 inches plus the 19 to 22 inch zone (Ap, A, and Bt horizons); albic horizon - the zone from approximately 12 inches to 19 inches (E1 and E2 horizons); argillic horizon - the zone from approximately 19 to 42 inches (Bt, Btg1 and Btg2 horizons). The type location is changed from Lincoln to Lafayette County, Missouri. The profile in Lafayette County is less acid in the lower Btg and BCg from that described in Lincoln County.