GUELPH, ONTARIO - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Brookston Silt Loam (2,000 acres)
This soil type is associated with the Brookston clay loam. The profile is
similar to that of the clay loam, but the surface soil is lighter in texture. All
areas in crop yield about) the same as the clay loam.
D. SOILS FORMED FROM FINE TEXTURED SHALE
AND LIMESTONE TILL
The eastern side of the Bruce Peninsula, particularly in the neighbourhood
of Cape Croker, consists partly of soils developed on clay till derived from shale
and limestone materials. The materials consist of limestone intermixed with a
large amount of shale and are derived from the bedrock of the Queenston
formation. Although there is a much larger amount of shale present in this
till than there is in the till from which the Huron catena developed, there is
sufficient limestone to make the till calcareous.
The Dunedin catena is mapped where these materials occur. It consists of
the well drained Dunedin series, the imperfectly drained Craigleith series, and
the poorly drained Morley series.
(i) Good
Drainage
Dunedin Clay Loam (2,700 acres)
Dunedin clay loam is a well drained soil with smooth moderately sloping
topography. Since both Brown Forest and Grey-Brown Podzolic characteristics
appear in the soil profiles the type is considered to be a Brown Forest - Grey-
Brown Podzolic Intergrade. A description of Dunedin clay loam developed
under tree cover follows:
Ao - Thin
etc.
layer of partially
decomposed leaves, twigs,
A1 - O-3 inches clay loam; very dark greyish brown
(2.5 Y 3/2); fine granular structure; friable consistency
; very stony; pH - 6.5.
B1 - 3-9 inches clay loam; grey-brown (10 YR 5/2) ;
coarse nucif orm structure ; hard consistency when
dry, plastic when wet; occasional stones; pH-6.5.
B2 - 9-15 inches clay; reddish brown (5 YR 4/3) ;
coarse blocky structure; very hard consistency
when dry, very plastic when wet,; few stones;
pH - 7.0.
C - Clay till ; dark reddish brown (5 YR 3/4) ; medium
nuciform structure; very hard consistency
when dry, very plastic when wet; very stony;
pH - 7.8.
Most of the type is covered with forest, the dominant tree species being
soft maple, elm, ash and ironwood. Moderate slopes and rapid run-off make
the soil susceptible to erosion. The type is fairly well supplied with plant
nutrients, but is generally somewhat more acid t!han the Huron clay loam.
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