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Soils
Introduction | Soil Formation | Parent Material | Physical Properties | Chemical Properties | Soil Profiles | Capability Classification | Soil Quality | Soil Survey
Land Capability Classification
and Prime Farmland
Land capability classes and, in most cases, subclasses are assigned to each soil. They suggest the suitability of the soil for field crops or pasture and provide a general indication of the need for conservation treatment and management. Capability classes are designated by either Arabic or Roman numerals (I through VIII), which represent progressively greater limitations and narrower choices for practical land use. Capability subclasses are noted with an e, w, s, or c following the capability class; for example, IIe. The "e" indicates that the soil is erosive. A "w" signifies a wetness limitation. An "s" denotes a shallow, droughty, or stony soil. A "c" indicates a climatic limitation. No subclasses are shown for capability class I because these soils have few limitations.
Prime farmland soils have the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage, fiber, and oilseed crops.
For more information, refer to the Soil Survey of Lewis County or the following Web sites:
http://www.wvu.edu/%7Eagexten/landrec/judging/index.html.
Introduction | Soil Formation | Parent Material | Physical Properties | Chemical Properties | Soil Profiles | Capability Classification | Soil Quality | Soil Survey
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