black gum ( Nyssa sylvatica var. biflora) are present also 

 in the canopy and subcanopy. The stand is very open beneath 

 and shrubs are scattered, including red bay, sweet pepperbush 

 ( Clethra alnifolia ) and in dense patches leucothoe, as well 

 as transgressives of red maple and American holly. Netted 

 chain fern is the predominant herb. 



A slightly better-drained area mapped as Brookman is located 

 in the Holt's Chapel section of the natural area (CT 4). 

 The Argent loam, beech flat described above (CT 1) grades 

 into this stand, which is dominated by swamp chestnut oak 

 and the same hydric hardwoods found on the Federal Paper 

 property, but lacking the American holly, leucothoe and 

 netted chain fern. 



The Brookman soil series marks the edge of the Federal 

 Paper natural area. Wasda muck is the next mapping unit 

 encountered to the west; it consists of poorly drained soils, 

 having thin black organic surface layers over loamy textured 

 soils with a sandy substrate (SCS, 1981) . Though not 

 true histosols , Wasda mucks support a growth of pond pine 

 (Pinus serotina) and bay shrubs. 



STONEWALL NATURAL AREA 



A second exceptional natural area within the Leaf-Bayboro 

 Soil Association is near the community of Stonewall (see map) . 

 This area is smaller than the Federal Paper natural area, but 

 offers the best known example of a hardwood stand over Argent 

 loam (CT 5) . The total acreage in the natural area designated 

 here is mapped as Argent. Swamp chestnut oak and cherrybark 

 oak dominate most of the stand, with loblolly pine and tulip 

 poplar locally dominant, probably as second growth after logging. 

 Laurel oak and red maple are uncommon in the canopy. The average 

 canopy dbh is 18 inches. Ironwood and various transgressives 

 dominate the very open shrub layer; "bay" shrubs are virtually 

 absent. The herb layer is diverse but not developed into dense 

 stands. Japanese honeysuckle has invaded only in local patches; 

 overall this community has maintained its natural integrity. To 

 the southwest the Stonewall hardwood flat gently gains elevation 

 and grades into disturbed areas of Brookman mucky silt loam and 

 Wasda muck. To the northwest, it grades into soils associated 

 with a small tributary to the Bay River. 



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