LOCATION HERRICK IL+MOEstablished Series
The Herrick series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained, moderately slowly permeable soils formed in loess on ground moraines. Slopes range from 0 to 5 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 38 inches, and mean annual temperature is about 55 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine, smectitic, mesic Aquic Argiudolls
TYPICAL PEDON: Herrick silt loam on a north-facing slope of 1 percent in a cultivated field at an elevation of 635 feet. (Colors are for moist soil unless otherwise stated.)
Ap1--0 to 7 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; moderate very fine granular structure; very friable; common fine and very fine roots; common worm casts and channels; common very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coats on faces of peds and lining channels; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry silt coats and common very fine iron and manganese concretions on the soil surface; slightly acid; clear wavy boundary.
Ap2--7 to 11 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) dry; weak coarse subangular blocky structure parting to weak fine granular; very friable; few fine and medium roots; common worm casts and channels; common distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coats lining channels; few very fine iron and manganese accumulations; slightly acid; abrupt smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Ap or A horizons is 6 to 17 inches.)
E--11 to 15 inches; very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) silt loam, gray (10YR 5/1) dry; discontinuous weak thick platy structure parting to weak medium granular; friable; few fine roots; few medium worm channels; many distinct grayish brown (10YR 5/2) clay depletions on the surface of peds, distinct light gray (10YR 7/1) dry; few fine iron and manganese concretions and common soft yellowish brown iron accumulations that streak with tools on cut faces; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary. (3 to 7 inches thick)
Btg--15 to 19 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) silty clay loam; weak very fine and fine prismatic structure parting to moderate fine and medium subangular blocky; friable; few fine roots; few distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organo-clay films on horizontal and vertical faces of peds; few very fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) masses of iron accumulation; many distinct light gray (10YR 7/1) dry clay depletions on faces of peds; few fine iron and manganese concretions and stains; moderately acid; clear smooth boundary.
Bt1--19 to 25 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) silty clay loam; moderate medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular and angular blocky; firm; few fine and very fine roots, dominantly between peds; many distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organo-clay films and brown (10YR 4/3) clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common prominent very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organic coats on faces of peds; common fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and common fine faint brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation and few fine faint grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; few fine iron and manganese concretions; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt2--25 to 35 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; moderate medium and coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; very firm; few fine and very fine roots, dominantly in the cracks between peds; many distinct very dark gray (10YR 3/1) organo-clay films on vertical and horizontal faces of peds; common medium distinct brown (7.5YR 4/4) masses of iron accumulation and few fine prominent grayish brown (10YR 5/2) iron depletions; few iron and manganese concretions; moderately acid; gradual smooth boundary.
Bt3--35 to 47 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) silty clay loam; moderate coarse prismatic structure parting to weak coarse subangular blocky; firm; few very fine roots; few very fine continuous vertical tubular pores; many distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organo-clay films on vertical faces of peds and lining pores and common distinct clay films on horizontal faces of peds; common fine prominent grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) iron depletions; slightly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
Bt4--47 to 58 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; weak very coarse prismatic structure; firm; few very fine roots; many very fine continuous vertical tubular pores; few distinct very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) organo-clay films on vertical faces of peds and lining channels; many medium distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) masses of iron accumulation and common medium distinct light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) iron depletions; slightly acid; gradual smooth boundary. (Combined thickness of the Bt horizons is 20 to 40 inches.)
C--58 to 62 inches; mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) and light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) silt loam; massive; friable; few very fine and fine continuous vertical tubular pores; very dark grayish brown clay lining pores; few iron and manganese accumulations and stains; an increase in the component of coarse silt and very fine sand; neutral.
TYPE LOCATION: Christian County, Illinois; about 3 miles southeast of Palmer; 1,260 feet south and 60 feet west of the northeast corner of sec. 1, T. 11 N., R. 3 W. USGS Clarksdale topographic quadrangle; lat. 39 degrees 26 minutes 0 seconds N. and long. 89 degrees 22 minutes 0 seconds W., NAD 27.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The depth to the base of the argillic horizon ranges from 45 to 60 inches. The mollic epipedon ranges from 10 to 21 inches in thickness and includes the E horizon in some pedons. All horizons have base saturation greater than 50 percent. Free carbonates are not present within a depth of 60 inches. The series control section has sand content less than 8 percent and rock fragment content less than 1 percent. The particle-size control section averages between 35 and 42 percent clay.
The Ap or A horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 2 or 3, and chroma of 1 or 2. The E horizon has hue of 10YR, value of 3 or 4, and chroma of 1 or 2. Texture of the Ap, A or E horizons is silt loam and has clay content of 20 to 27 percent. Reaction is strongly acid to neutral.
The Btg and/or Bt horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 2 to 6. Hue of 5Y, if present, is in the lower part. Texture is silty clay loam or silty clay in the upper part, and silty clay loam or silt loam in the lower part. The average clay content is 35 to 38 percent and individual subhorizons have between 25 and 42 percent clay. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to very strongly acid in the upper part and ranges to slightly acid in the lower part.
The C horizon has hue of 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y; value of 4 to 6; and chroma of 2 to 6. It is commonly silt loam or, less commonly, silty clay loam, loam or clay loam. Clay content ranges from 20 to 30 percent. Sand content ranges from 5 to 30 percent. Reaction ranges from moderately acid to moderately alkaline.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the Biddle, Flanagan, Ipava, Macksburg, Malvern, Rutland, and Timewell soils. Biddle soils have 5 to 15 percent exchangeable sodium in the subsoil. Flanagan, Ipava and Macksburg soils do not have an AE or E horizon or a moist color value more than 3 in the upper part of the control section. Malvern soils have hue redder than 10YR in the matrix and/or in redoximorphic features in the subsoil. Rutland soils average more than 30 percent clay in the lower part of the control section. Timewell soils have a mean annual soil temperature less than 56 degrees F.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Herrick soils are on nearly level and gently sloping parts of loess covered till plains. Slope gradients range from 0 to 5 percent. They formed in loess containing less than 8 percent sand. The material beneath the loess is Illinoian till or the silty erosional surface that lies above the till and that contains 5 to 30 percent sand. Mean annual air temperature ranges from 54 to 57 degrees F, mean annual soil temperature ranges from 56 to 59 degrees F., mean annual precipitation ranges from 36 to 42 inches, frost free days range from 180 to 200 days, and elevation ranges from 500 to 1000 feet above sea level.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Ebbert, Harrison, Virden, and Piasa soils. Harrison soils are moderately well drained and are upslope on low ridges. Ebbert, Virden, and Piasa soils are poorly drained and are on similar or slightly lower parts of the topography. In addition, Ebbert soils have albic horizons and Piasa soils have natric horizons.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat poorly drained. Surface runoff potential is low. Permeability is moderately slow. These soils have a water table at a depth of 1 to 2 feet during the spring.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are mostly cultivated. Corn and soybeans are the dominant crops. Small acreages are used for small grains and meadow.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Southwestern Illinois and eastern Missouri. Extent is large.
MLRA OFFICE RESPONSIBLE: Indianapolis, Indiana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Schuyler County, Illinois, 1939.
REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: mollic epipedon - the zone from the surface of the soil to a depth of 15 inches (Ap1, Ap2, and E horizons); argillic horizon - zone from approximately 15 to 58 inches (Btg, Bt1, Bt2, Bt3, and Bt4 horizons).
ADDITIONAL DATA: University of Illinois numbers 16697-16717, 16759-16781, and 23011-23019; Christian County, Illinois.