1911.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 31. 339 



COMPOSITION OF SOME MASSACHUSETTS 



SOILS. 



BY J. B. LINDSEY. 



In the year 1892 samples of typical soils were taken from 

 different parts of the State under the general supervision of 

 Prof. William P. Brooks. Prof. Benjamin K. Emerson, the 

 geologist of Amherst College, advised as to the most suitable 

 location to secure some of the soils, in order that they might be 

 representative. The soils were carefully analyzed under the 

 direct supervision of the late Prof. C. A. Goessmann, and the 

 completed results of each soil are here presented for the first 

 time. 



Desceiption of Types. 



Soil A^o. 1. — Ten inches surface soil taken on the grounds of the 

 Massachusetts agricultural experiment station, north of Hatch 

 barn. 



Soil No. 2. — Ten inches surface soil taken on Agawam Plains, not 

 cultivated for ten years. 



Soil No. 3. — Twelve inches surface soil taken from hill pasture in Aga- 

 wam. The soil known as Agawam red sandstone. 



Soil No. 4. — Granite till from Dedham, locality of Fox Hill; 12 

 inches surface soil. 



Soil No. 5. — Cranberry bog from Colony Stock Farm ; 6 inches sur- 

 face soil. 



Soil No. 6. — Diked Salt Marsh, Marshfield ; tide shut off twenty years 

 ago; soil cultivated. 



Soil No. 7. — Soil of alluvial formation from Hadley meadows ; over- 

 flowed in 1862 and 1872, and a deposit of sand was left which 

 injured it materially. 



Soil No. 8. — Virgin soil, taken from South River salt marsh. Marsh- 

 field, Mass. 



Soil No. 9. — Natural fresh-water meadow from Sudbury, Mass. ; very 

 wet. 



Soil No. 10. — Gneiss till from Shutesbury, Mass.; very barren. 



Soil No. 11. — Mica schist from Deerfield, Mass. ; taken from base of 

 hill. Virgin soil, good pasture land, never cultivated. 



Soil No. 12. — Limestone till from Pittsfield, Mass. 



Soil No. 13. — Copperas rock from Hubbardston. Virgin soil, very 

 strong. 



