GUELPH, ONTARIO - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

GUELPH, ONTARIO - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada GUELPH, ONTARIO - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

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The B horizon of the Burford loam rests on the well sorted, gravelly, calcareous parent material. tables do well when the soil is heavily fertilized, and tree fruits are good when the climate is moderate. The chief limiting factor to crop growth on Burford soils is low fertility. Additions of commercial fertilizers and manures are necessary in order to maintain an adequate fertility level. When such additions are made according to the requirements of the soil and of the crop to be grown, yields will be good. In some areas cobblestones appear at or near the surface which may interfere with cultivation. Early spring cultivation is possible because of the porosity of the soil, which allows rapid percolation of water. (ii) Imperfect Drainage Brisbane Loam (1,600 acres) One of the lesser series found in the County, Brisbane loam is the imperfectly drained member of the Burford catena and is a Grey-Brown Podzolic soil. Smooth very gentle slopes and moderate to slow drainage are characteristic of the type. A description of a typical Brisbane loam profile follows: 66

- - -- Thin layer of partially decomposed leaves, twigs, etc. O-6 inches loam ; very dark greyish brown (10 YR 3/2) ; fine granular structure; friable consistency; few stones; pH - 6.8. G-10 inches loam; yellowish brown (10 YR 5/4) ; slightly mottled; weak platy structure; friable consistency; few stones; pH - 6.5. lo-22 inches clay loam; dark brown (10 YR 4/3) ; mottled; medium nuciform structure; hard consistency; gravelly; frequent stones; pH - 7.0. (1 - Gravel and sand; light grey (10 YR 7,/2); single grain structure; loose consistency ; calcareous ; pH - 7.8. The internal drainage of the Brisbane loam is moderate and the est,ernal drainage is low. The natural vegetation in the remaining woodlots consists chiefly of soft maple and elm with ash, ironwood and balsam occurring in smaller amounts. Agriculture Crop production on the Brisbane loam is limited by imperfect drainage and low fertility. Under nat’ural drainage conditions fair crops of oats, red clover, alsike, hay and past)ure can be grown, but when drainage is improved the type is capable of grooving the same crops that are grown on the Burford loam. Nitrogenous, phosphatic and potassic fertilizers should be added to the cultivated soil to increase fertility. The type is used chiefly for general farming and occurs as small areas scattered throughout the County. (iii) Poor Drainage Gilford Loam (900 acres) The Gilford series is the poorly drained member of the Burford, Teeswater and Sargent catenas and exhibits the characteristics of the Dark Grey Gleisolic Great Soil Group. Only a very small area of the type occurs in Bruce County. The following is a description of a Gilford loam profile: -41- G c Thin layer of partially decomposed leaves, twigs, etc. O-6 inches loam; very dark brown (10 YR 2/2); fine granular structure; friable consistency; few stones; pH - 7.0. 6-19 inches loam; greyish brown (10 YR 5/2) ; mottled; medium blocky structure; friable consistency; stony; pH - 7.2. Gravelly outwash; brown (10 YR 5/3) ; single grain structure; loose consistency; calcareous; pH - 7.6. 67

The B horizon of the Burford loam rests on<br />

the well sorted, gravelly, calcareous parent<br />

material.<br />

tables do well when the soil is heavily fertilized, <strong>and</strong> tree fruits are good<br />

when the climate is moderate.<br />

The chief limiting factor to crop growth on Burford soils is low fertility.<br />

Additions of commercial fertilizers <strong>and</strong> manures are necessary in order to maintain<br />

an adequate fertility level. When such additions are made according to<br />

the requirements of the soil <strong>and</strong> of the crop to be grown, yields will be good.<br />

In some areas cobblestones appear at or near the surface which may interfere<br />

with cultivation. Early spring cultivation is possible because of the porosity<br />

of the soil, which allows rapid percolation of water.<br />

(ii) Imperfect Drainage<br />

Brisbane Loam (1,600 acres)<br />

One of the lesser series found in the County, Brisbane loam is the imperfectly<br />

drained member of the Burford catena <strong>and</strong> is a Grey-Brown Podzolic<br />

soil. Smooth very gentle slopes <strong>and</strong> moderate to slow drainage are characteristic<br />

of the type. A description of a typical Brisbane loam profile follows:<br />

66

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