The Cooperative Soil Survey

SOIL SURVEY OF BARTON COUNTY MISSOURI

Askew Series - Distribution map in Missouri

     The Askew series consists of deep, gently sloping soils on stream terraces, natural levees, and foot slopes near the major streams. These soils formed under tall grasses and mixed hardwood trees in material deposited by streams or moved downslope from higher upland positions. A loess mantle is present in some places.
    In a representative profile, the surface layer is medium acid, dark grayish-brown silt loam about 5 inches thick. The subsurface layer is brown silt loam about 5 inches thick. The subsoil is very strongly acid, friable to firm silty clay loam about 54 inches thick. It is yellowish brown in the upper part, light yellowish brown in the middle part, and strong brown in the lower part. It has grayish mottles. The underlying material is strong-brown, friable, strongly acid silty clay loam.
    Askew soils are low in natural fertility and are moderately well drained. Runoff is medium, permeability is moderate, and the available water capacity is high. Susceptibility to erosion is the major limitation that affects the use of these soils.
    Most areas of these soils are used to grow sorghum, small grain, corn, soybeans, and hay or are in pasture. Wheat and sorghums are the most important crops. A small acreage is in timber.
    Representative profile of Askew silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes, in an area of grass, 220 feet south and 295 feet east of the northwest corner of sec. 20, T. 31 N., R. 30W.:

Ap—0 to 5 inches, dark grayish-brown (10YR 4/2) silt loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) dry; few, fine, faint, dark yellowish-brown root stains; weak, very fine, platy structure; very friable; common roots; common worm channels and casts; few iron and manganese concretions; medium acid; abrupt, smooth boundary.

A2—5 to 10 inches, brown (10YR 5/3) silt loam; common, fine, faint, grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) mottles and few, fine, faint, dark grayish-brown mottles; weak, thin, platy structure; very friable; few roots; vesicular; common worm channels and casts; few iron and manganese concretions; strongly acid; clear, smooth boundary.

B1t—10 to 14 inches, yellowish-brown (10YR 5/4) light silty clay loam; common, fine, faint, dark grayish-brown (10YR 4/2) mottles and very dark grayish-brown (10YR 3/2) mottles; moderate, very fine, subangular blocky structure; friable; few roots; thin patchy clay films; vesicular; many worm channels and casts; some casts are very dark grayish brown; few iron and manganese concretions ; very strongly acid; clear, smooth boundary.

B21t—14 to 18 inches, yellowish-brown (10YR 5/4) silty clay loam; few, fine, faint, dark grayish-brown and yellowish-brown mottles; moderate, fine and very fine, subangular blocky structure; firm; few roots; thin patchy clay films; common worm channels and casts; few iron and manganese concretions; very strongly acid; clear, smooth boundary.

B22t—18 to 26 inches, light yellowish-brown (10YR 6/4) silty clay loam; common, fine, distinct, yellowish-red (5YR 5/8) mottles; weak, fine and very fine, subangular blocky structure; firm; few roots; thin patchy clay films; few worm channels; many iron and manganese concretions; very strongly acid; clear, smooth boundary.

B23t—26 to 36 inches, coarsely mottled strong-brown (7.5YR 5/6), yellowish-brown (10YR 5/6) and light brownish-gray (10YR 6/2) heavy silty clay loam; common, fine, faint, light-gray, very dark grayish-brown, and yellowish-red mottles; weak, coarse, subangular blocky structure; firm; few roots; thick, dark grayish-brown clay films line most cracks and worm and root channels; common iron and manganese concretions ; very strongly acid; clear, smooth boundary.

B3t—36 to 64 inches, coarsely mottled strong-brown (7.5YR 5/6) and light brownish-gray (10YR 6/2) silty clay loam; weak, coarse, subangular blocky structure; firm; gray clay films line many pores; few worm channels; few iron and manganese concretions; very strongly acid; clear, smooth boundary.

C—64 to 72 inches, strong-brown (7.5YR 5/6) silty clay loam; few, fine, distinct, light brownish-gray (10YR 6/2) mottles and common, medium, faint dark yellowish-brown mottles; massive; friable; few iron and manganese concretions; strongly acid.

    The Ap horizon, or the A1 horizon, ranges from silt loam to fine sandy loam. Where an A1 horizon is present, it is very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) to dark brown (10YR 3/3) and is about 1 to 4 inches in thickness. The Ap horizon and the A2 horizon range from brown (10YR 4/3) to grayish-brown (10YR 5/2) and are about 4 to 10 inches total in thickness. The Bt horizon is 30 to 60 inches in thickness. The upper part is yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) in most places but ranges to brown (10YR 4/3). It has brownish to grayish mottles. Texture is loam, silt loam, and silty clay loam. The lower part ranges from strong brown (7.5YR 5/6) to light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) and has coarse, distinct mottles. These soils are medium acid to very strongly acid.
    Askew soils are on stream terraces and foot slopes near Hepler, Carytown, Cherokee, Lebanon, and Bolivar soils. They are at higher elevations and have a lighter colored or thinner surface layer than Hepler soils. Askew soils have more silt and sand and less clay in the subsoil than Carytown, Cherokee, and Lebanon soils. They are deeper than Bolivar soils. Askew soils do not have a fragipan, as do the Lebanon soils.

Askew fine sandy loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes (AkB)

Askew silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes (AsB)

Askew silt loam, 2 to 5 percent slopes, eroded (AsB2)

Hughes, H.E. 1974. Soil Survey of Barton County, Missouri. USDA-SCS. U.S. Gov. Print. Office, Washington, DC.