Climate is humid and temperate. The Cranston soils have gravelly silt loam argillic horizons, and base saturation more than 35 percent. Dekalb, Gilpin, Lily and Steinsburg soils have bedrock at less than 40 inches. Shelocta soils have fine-loamy control sections. The potential for surface runoff is negligible to medium.
Permeability is moderately rapid.
Depth to a seasonal high water table is greater than 6 feet. Most areas are wooded, but less steep areas are used for crops and pasture. Native vegetation is mixed, deciduous hardwood forest of yellow poplar, upland oaks, hickory, Virginia, white and shortleaf pine as the dominant species. The series is large extent. These soils were formerly part of the Jefferson series.