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GUELPH, ONTARIO - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

GUELPH, ONTARIO - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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Ontario as the poorly drained member of other soil catenas developed on<br />

loamy limestone till. The soil belongs to the Dark Grey Gleisolic Great Soil<br />

Group <strong>and</strong> exhibits the following profile characteristics:<br />

A 0 — Thin layer of partially decomposed leaves, twigs,<br />

etc.<br />

A 1 — 0-7 inches loam; very dark brown (10 YR 2/2);<br />

fine granular structure; friable consistency; few<br />

stones; pH — 7.0.<br />

G — 7-16 inches loam; greyish brown (10 YR 5/2);<br />

mottled; massive structure; friable consistency;<br />

few to frequent stones; pH — 7.2.<br />

C — Loam till; pale brown (10 YR 6/3); mottled;<br />

medium nuciform structure; hard consistency;<br />

stony; calcareous; pH — 7.8.<br />

Because of its topographic position the natural drainage of the Parkhill<br />

loam is poor. This condition is often intensified by seepage from the surrounding<br />

higher l<strong>and</strong>. The natural vegetation consists mainly of white cedar, elm,<br />

soft maple, hemlock <strong>and</strong> willow.<br />

<strong><strong>Agri</strong>culture</strong><br />

A large proportion of the Parkhill remains in woodl<strong>and</strong>. Areas not in woodl<strong>and</strong><br />

are often used for pasture. When cultivated it is a late soil in the spring<br />

<strong>and</strong> at best is only fairly well suited to the production of cereal grains. Poor<br />

drainage makes it unsuited for the production of legumes. Timothy, hay <strong>and</strong><br />

permanent pasture do fairly well <strong>and</strong> fair yields of buckwheat are obtained.<br />

Where the soil is cultivated, applications of phosphatic fertilizer are required<br />

to maintain fertility levels.<br />

Parkhill loam, supporting poor pasture such as this, should be cultivated <strong>and</strong><br />

planted to a good permanent pasture mixture.<br />

45

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