***HORIZON CODES***

+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| **Horizon**            | **USGS**   | **USDA**      | **EnvCan^1^** |
|                        |            |               |               |
| **Type**               | **Code**   | **Code**      | **Code**      |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Moss -- live           | L          | \-            | \-            |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Moss -- dead           | D          | O~i~          | O~F~/F        |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Fibric                 | F          | O~i~          | O~F~/F        |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Mesic                  | M          | O~e~          | O~M~/M        |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Humic                  | H          | O~a~          | O~H~/H        |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
|                        |            |               |               |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Grass                  | GR         |               |               |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Lichen - live          | LN         |               |               |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Lichen -- dead         | DN         |               |               |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Litter                 | LT         |               |               |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Sedge                  | SE         |               |               |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+
| Wood                   | WD         |               |               |
+------------------------+------------+---------------+---------------+

^1^Environmental Canada codes listed for peat and upland soil,
respectively.

***ORGANICS***

**Decomposition**

1 Undecomposed -- plants easily identifiable

2 Slightly decomposed -- plant parts identifiable and mostly intact

3 Moderately decomposed -- plant parts not intact, few identifiable, but
are recognizable

4 Strongly decomposed -- Little plant structure recognizable

5 Completely decomposed -- No plant parts recognizable (excluding live
roots)

**Amount of amorphous material**

1 None

2 \< 1/3

3 ≥ 1/3, no smear

4 ≥ 1/3, with smear

**Water color (when squeezed wet)**

1 Clear

2 Yellow

3 Muddy, little to no peat escaping fingers

4 Muddy, peat escapes between fingers

***ROOTS***

![](media/image1.png){width="6.145833333333333in"
height="2.8666666666666667in"}

***TEXTURE***

+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| **  | *       | *     | **     | ####   | **     | **C  |   |         |
| Tex | *Feel** | *Form | Ribbon |        | Sticki | onsi |   |         |
| tur |         | s     | out?** | ###    | ness** | sten |   |         |
| e** | **(m    | table |        | # Plas |        | ce** |   |         |
|     | oist)** | ba    |        | ticity |        |      |   |         |
|     |         | ll?** |        |        |        |      |   |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
|     |         |       |        |        |        | *    |   | **Dry** |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | *Moi |   |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | st** |   |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| S   | v\.     | no    | no     | no     | no     | lo   | l |         |
| and | gritty  |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | (lo  |   |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | ose) | ( |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | s |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | e |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| Lo  | v\.     | no    | no     | po     | so     | lo   | l |         |
| amy | gritty  |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
| s   |         |       |        | (not   | (not   | (lo  |   |         |
| and |         |       |        | pl     | s      | ose) | ( |         |
|     |         |       |        | astic) | ticky) |      | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | s |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | e |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| Sa  | gritty  | yes,  | dull,  | po     | so     | vfr  | s |         |
| ndy |         | e     | poorly |        |        |      | o |         |
| l   |         | asily | formed | (not   | (not   | (v.  | ( |         |
| oam |         | def   |        | pl     | s      | fria | s |         |
|     |         | ormed |        | astic) | ticky) | ble) | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | f |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| L   | gritty  | yes   | dull,  | sp     | ss-s   | fr   | s |         |
| oam |         |       | poorly | (sl    | (sl    |      | o |         |
|     |         |       | formed | ightly | ightly | (    |   |         |
|     |         |       |        | pl     | to     | fria | ( |         |
|     |         |       |        | astic) | s      | ble) | s |         |
|     |         |       |        |        | ticky) |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | f |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| S   | velvety | yes   | dull,  | sp-p   | ss-s   | fr   | s |         |
| ilt |         |       | poorly | (sl    | (sl    |      | o |         |
| L   |         |       | formed | ightly | ightly | (    |   |         |
| oam |         |       |        | to     | to     | fria | ( |         |
|     |         |       |        | pl     | s      | ble) | s |         |
|     |         |       |        | astic) | ticky) |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | f |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| Si  | velvety | yes,  | shiny, | p      | s      | f    | s |         |
| lty | and     | v.    | well   | (pl    | (s     | r-fi | h |         |
| c   | sticky  | s     | formed | astic) | ticky) | (fri | ( |         |
| lay |         | table |        |        |        | able | s |         |
| l   |         |       |        |        |        | to   | l |         |
| oam |         |       |        |        |        | f    | i |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | irm) | g |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | y |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | a |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | r |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | d |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| C   | gritty  | yes,  | shiny, | p      | s      | fi   | s |         |
| lay | and     | v.    | well   | (pl    | (s     | (f   | h |         |
| l   | sticky  | s     | formed | astic) | ticky) | irm) | - |         |
| oam |         | table |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ( |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | s |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | i |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | g |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | y |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | a |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | r |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | d |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| Sa  | v\.     | yes,  | shiny, | p      | s      | f    | s |         |
| ndy | gritty  | v.    | well   | (pl    | (s     | r-fi | h |         |
| c   | and     | s     | formed | astic) | ticky) | (fri | - |         |
| lay | sticky  | table |        |        |        | able | h |         |
| l   |         |       |        |        |        | to   | ( |         |
| oam |         |       |        |        |        | f    | s |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | irm) | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | i |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | g |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | y |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | a |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | r |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | d |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| Si  | ex      | yes,  | v\.    | vp     | vs     | fi   | h |         |
| lty | tremely | v.    | shiny, |        |        | -vfi | - |         |
| c   | sticky  | resi  | v.     | (v.    | (v.    | (    | v |         |
| lay | and v.  | stant | well   | pl     | s      | firm | h |         |
|     | smooth  | to    | formed | astic) | ticky) | to   | ( |         |
|     |         | mo    |        |        |        | v.   | h |         |
|     |         | lding |        |        |        | f    | a |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | irm) | r |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | d |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | v |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | . |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | a |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | r |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | d |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+
| C   | ex      | yes,  | v\.    | vp     | vs     | fi   | v |         |
| lay | tremely | v.    | shiny, |        |        | -vfi | h |         |
|     | sticky  | resi  | v.     | (v.    | (v.    | (    | - |         |
|     |         | stant | well   | pl     | s      | firm | e |         |
|     |         | to    | formed | astic) | ticky) | to   | h |         |
|     |         | mo    |        |        |        | v.   | ( |         |
|     |         | lding |        |        |        | f    | v |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        | irm) | . |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | h |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | a |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | r |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | d |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | o |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | e |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | x |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | t |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | r |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | e |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | m |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | e |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | l |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | y |         |
|     |         |       |        |        |        |      | ) |         |
+-----+---------+-------+--------+--------+--------+------+---+---------+

***STRUCTURE***

**Type:**

gr granular

pl platy (vertical smaller than horizontal)

pr prismatic (vertical longer than horizontal)

cpr columnar (prismatic with rounded caps)

abk angular blocky (block shaped with sharp vertices)

sbk subangular blocky (block shaped with round vertices)

**Strength:**

*m* Massive. No aggregation

*sg* Single grain. No aggregation

*1* Weak. Peds barely observable in place. When disturbed get few peds
and mostly loose material.

*2* Moderate. Peds easily observable but not distinct. When disturbed
get mostly of ped and some loose material.

*3* Strong. Peds distinctly visible in place. When disturbed almost all
the mass is the entire ped.

**Size:**

  ---------------- ------------- ------------ -------------- --------------
  Size Class       Granules      Plates       Blocks         Prisms

  vf (v. fine)     \< 1 mm       \< 1 mm      \< 5 mm        \< 10 mm

  f (fine)         1 -- 2 mm     1 -- 2 mm    5 -- 10 mm     10 --20 mm

  m (medium)       2 -- 5 mm     2 -- 5 mm    10 -- 20 mm    20 -- 50 mm

  c (coarse)       5 -- 10 mm    5 -- 10 mm   20 -- 50 mm    50 -- 100 mm

  vc (v. coarse)   \> 10 mm      \> 10 mm     \> 50 mm       \> 100 mm
  ---------------- ------------- ------------ -------------- --------------

***CONSISTENCE***

**CONSISTENCE - MOIST**

lo loose (soil does not stick together in a mass)

fr friable (crushes under gentle to moderate pressure between thumb &
forefinger)

fi firm (crushes under moderate pressure between thumb & forefinger, but
noticeable resistance)

vfi very firm (crushes under strong pressure, barely crushable between
thumb & forefinger)

**STICKINESS**

so not sticky (no adherence)

ss slightly sticky (adherence, no stretch)

s sticky (adherence, tends to stretch)

vs very sticky (strong adherence & stretch)

> **PLASTICITY**

po not plastic (no rod formable)

ps slightly plastic (rod forms but easily deformed)

p plastic (rod forms, deforms under pressure)

vp very plastic (rod forms, deforms under much pressure)