The keene soils have a maximum pH of less than 6.6 in the lower part of the series control section. The Travilah soils have coarse fragments of serpentine throughout the series control section. Appleriver soils are on unglaciated hillside benches and rounded ridgetops. Slopes range from 2 to 5 percent. Appleriver soils formed in 30 to 50 inches of loess and in residuum weathered from calcareous shale.
Summers are hot and winters are cold.
Mean annual air temperature ranges from 45 to 52 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation ranges from 32 to 36 inches. These are the Derinda , Eleroy , Fayette , Massbach , and Rozetta soils. These soils are better drained than the Appleriver soils and are generally in more sloping or more dissected landforms. Also, the Massbach soils have a darker surface layer. Somewhat poorly drained.