LOCATION TROW VTInactive Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, frigid Typic Dystrochrepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Trow very fine sandy loam, on a northwest-facing slope of 16 percent, in a very rocky wooded area. (Colors are for moist soils unless otherwise noted.)
Oi--2 to 1 inches; slightly decomposed leaves and twigs.
Oe--1 to 0 inches; moderately decomposed litter.
A--0 to 3 inches; dark brown (10YR 4/3) very fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; common medium and many fine roots; 5 percent channers; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (1 to 7 inches thick)
Bw1--3 to 8 inches; dark yellowish brown (10YR 3/4) channery very fine sandy loam; weak fine granular structure; friable; common medium and many fine roots; 15 percent channers; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bw2--8 to 20 inches; olive brown (2.5Y 4/4) very fine sandy loam; weak fine subangular blocky structure; friable; common fine and many very fine roots; 10 percent channers; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bw horizon is 12 to 28 inches.)
C--20 to 30 inches; dark grayish brown (2.5Y 4/2) channery very fine sandy loam; massive; friable; common very fine and few fine roots; 20 percent channers; very strongly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (0 to 12 inches thick)
2R--30 inches; hard, interbedded phyllite and limestone bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Washington County, Vermont; Town of East Montpelier, 1200 feet southeast of Slayton Pond and 320 feet north of the town road.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The thickness of the solum ranges from 14 to 30 inches. The depth to bedrock ranges from 20 to 40 inches. Reaction ranges from very strongly acid through moderately acid in the solum and from very strongly acid through slightly acid in the substratum. Rock fragments are mostly channers and range from 5 to 30 percent throughout the soil. A stony phase of the Trow series is recognized.
The A or Ap horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. Dry color value is 6 or more. It is silt loam, fine sandy loam, or very fine sandy loam in the fine-earth fraction.
The Bw horizon has hue of 10YR or 2.5Y, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 through 4. It is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt loam in the fine-earth fraction.
Some pedons have a BC horizon with color and texture similar to the Bw horizon.
The C horizon has hue of 2.5Y or 5Y, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 2 or 3. It is fine sandy loam, very fine sandy loam, or silt loam in the fine-earth fraction.
Bedrock is hard, interbedded phyllite and limestone.
COMPETING SERIES: The Bice, Conic, Dummerston, Elka, Haights, Lanesboro, Lode, Mesaba, Millsite, Mongaup, Schroon, Toimi (T), and Wawina soils are in the same family. The Conic soils have a compact substratum. The Bice, Dummerston, Elka, Lanesboro, Lode, Haights, Schroon, Toimi, and Wawina soils are very deep to bedrock. The Mesaba soils have Bhs and Bs horizons overlying the Bw horizon. The Mongaup soils have 5 to 35 percent sandstone rock fragments throughout the soil. The Millsite soils are moderately deep to gneiss or granite bedrock.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: The Trow soils are gently sloping to very steep soils on the tops and side slopes of hills, ridges, and mountains. Slopes range from 3 to 60 percent. The soils formed in loamy glacial till of Wisconsin age derived mainly from phyllite or limestone. Mean annual precipitation ranges from 30 to 50 inches and the mean annual temperature ranges from 40 to 44 degrees F. The frost-free season ranges from 90 to 135 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the shallow, somewhat excessively drained Bartlett; very deep, somewhat poorly and poorly drained Brayton; very deep, well drained Dummerston; very deep moderately well drained Fullam; and very deep, very poorly drained Peacham. The Bartlett soils are on summits and shoulders. The Brayton and Peacham soils are on toeslopes and in depressions and drainageways. The Dummerston soils are on shoulders and back slopes. The Fullam soils are on footslopes.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained. Permeability is moderate.
USE AND VEGETATION: Most areas are wooded. Common trees are sugar maple, yellow birch, white birch, eastern white pine, eastern hemlock, balsam fir, and red spruce. Some areas are cleared and are used for pasture, hay, or silage corn.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Vermont. The series is of moderate extent.
SERIES PROPOSED: Washington County, Vermont, 1985. The name is from a hill in the town of Barre.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
a. Ochric epipedon - the zone from 0 to 3 inches (A horizon).
b. Cambic horizon - the zone from 3 to 20 inches (Bw1 and Bw2 horizons).
c. Typic Dystrochrepts feature - the base saturation (by ammonium acetate) is less than 60 percent in all subhorizons between the depths of 10 to 30 inches below the soil surface.