Soil Report - Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada

Figure 37 . Vegetable crops, such as peppers, are replacing
tobacco on some Scotland soils
Seneca Soils (SNA)
Location and Extent Almost all Seneca soils are found in
the northern part of the Town of Haldimand, north of an
imaginary line joining Hagersville and Cayuga . There are
881 ha of pure Seneca map units, and 495 ha of Seneca soils
in complex map units in which they are sometimes associated
with Haldimand or Brantford soils. Some very shallow
Seneca soils are commonly associated with Farmington
soils .
Landform and Topography Seneca soils are mostly found
on the exposed parts of drumlins, surrounded by lacustrine
clays of the Haldimand clay plain . Sometimes they are also
found on eroded remnants of drumlins associated with the
limestone plain, near Hagersville . The topography ranges
from nearly level on the tops of some drumlins, to steep
slopes of 16-30%, on the sides of drumlins .
Parent Materials and Textures Seneca soils have developed
on loam till that usually has somewhat siltier surficial
materials . Surface textures are silt loam or loam, with a small
percent of gravel . The texture of the materials underlying
the surface is usually clay loam, from enrichment of clay by
weathering . Finally, underlying this clay-enriched zone, the
till has loam textures and contents of gravel that usually
range between 16 and 30% .
Soil Moisture Characteristics Seneca soils are well-drained
and moderately to rapidly permeable . Wet, groundwater
seepage spots are sometimes present on steeper slopes after
periods of heavy rain . Seneca soils have medium waterholding
capacities . Surface runoff is slow to rapid, depending
on slope .
General Soil Description The surface Ap horizons of
Seneca soils usually consist of 15 cm of silt loam or loam,
with minor amounts of gravel . East of Hagersville, there are
a few hectares of sandy phase Seneca soils (SNA.C) with 15-
40 cm of sandy-textured soils over loam till . On relatively
level areas there may be a thin, light brown horizon of loam
or silt loam underlying the surface and overlying the brown
Bt horizons . The clay loam Bt horizons are wavy and tongue
into the underlying Ck horizons . On the limestone plain near
Hagersville, shallow phase (SNA .S) and very shallow phase
(SNA.V) Seneca soils are mapped, with respective soil
depths of 50-100 cm and 20-50 cm over bedrock . In many of
these shallow soils over bedrock, the calcareous C horizon is
absent . Loam textures predominate in Ck horizons, and the
gravel content ranges from 16-30% . Ck horizons can be
strongly, very strongly or extremely calcareous . Soil reaction
is relatively alkaline, ranging from neutral in the surface
soils to mildly alkaline in the subsoil . Soil classification is
usually Orthic Gray Brown Luvisol .
Commonly Associated Soils The most common associates
of Seneca soils are Haldimand (HIM) and Brantford (BFO)
soils, which are components of map units SNA 6 and SNA 5,
respectively . Haldimand soils differ from Seneca soils by
being imperfectly drained and by having developed on lacustrine
heavy clays. Brantford soils are developed on lacustrine
silty clay loams and silty clays . Farmington soils, which are very
shallow over bedrock and have various textures, are often
associated with very shallow phase Seneca soils (SNAN) in
map unit SNA 13.
General Land Use Comments
(1) Seneca soils are good agricultural soils, well suited to
common field crops such as grain corn, small grains and
forages . Careful conservation management practices are
necessary on slopes, where erosion can be severe .
(2) Forest productivity is high for most tree species, provided
that erosion can be reduced or prevented on slopes .
Silver Hill Soils (SIH)
Location and Extent Silver Hill soils occur in the Langton-
Walsh area, Waterford area, and east of Dunnville . There
are 533 ha of pure Silver Hill map units, and 3808 ha of Silver
Hill soils in complex map units where they are often
associated with Vittoria and Walsingham soils .
Landform and Topography Silver Hill soils occupy level
areas of shallow lacustrine and eolian sands over lacustrine
silts on the Haldimand clay plain, and on smaller lacustrine
plains in the Langton-Walsh and Dunnville areas . The
topography is usually level, with slopes of 0 .5-1 .5% .
Parent Materials and Textures Silver Hill soils have
developed on 40-100 cm of fine sandy loam or loamy fine
sand lacustrine and eolian deposits over silt loam or very
fine sandy loam lacustrine sediments .
Soil Moisture Characteristics Silver Hill soils are poorly
drained . They are rapidly to moderately permeable through
the upper sandy materials down to the sand-silt contact,
where a weak hardpan often exists . The underlying silty
materials are slowly permeable . Groundwater usually sits
above this contact and saturates the soil until late spring or
summer . Silver Hill soils have relatively high water-holding
capacities and slow surface runoff.
General Soil Description The surface horizons of Silver
Hill soils are usually about 20 cm thick, with fine sandy loam
or loamy fine sand textures . The fine sandy loam, loamy
sand, loamy fine sand or fine sand textures in the subsoil
usually extend to 60-100 cm depth . Prominent strong brown
or yellowish-brown mottles usually occur in the lower part of
this sandy zone, and in the underlying stratified lacustrine
materials . A weak hardpan or fragipan frequently occurs at
this contact . These stratified deposits, that usually begin at
60-120 cm depth, have loam, silt loam or very fine sandy
loam textures, and are strongly or very strongly calcareous .
Soil reaction usually ranges from slightly acidic to mildly
alkaline in the surface horizons, and is mildly alkaline in the
subsoil . Soil classification is usually Orthic Luvic Gleysol .