RECONNAISSANCE SOIL SURVEY OF PARTS OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO BY G . A. HILLS EXPERIMENTAL FARMS SERVICE AND F. F. MORWICK ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE GUELPH, ONTARIO DECEMBER 1944 REPORT No. 8 OF THE ONTARIO SOIL SURVEY EXPERIMENTAL FARMS SERVICE, DOMINION DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE RECONNAISSANCE SOIL SURVEY OF PARTS OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO BY G . A. HILLS EXPERIMENTAL FARMS SERVICE AND F . F. MORWICK ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE GUELPH, ONTARIO DECEMBER 1944 REPORT No . 8 OF 1rHE ONTARIO SOIL SURVEY EXPERIMENTAL FARMS SERVICE, DOMINION DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND THE ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE PREFACE The reconnaissance survey of Northwestern Ontario was made during the early part of, the summer of 1942. More time was spent in studying the types of soil formation and the capa bility of the soils for use than in locating the boundaries of the land types in detail. The report is intended to give a general picture of the present development of the region, to describe the soils and make suggestions as to their suitability for further agricultural development .. The three maps in the pocket at the back of this report show the approximate distribution of land types. The objectives of the survey may be stated briefly as follows : 1 ., To obtain information regarding the soils, particularly in the areas partially developed for agriculture. To chart the approximate location and extent of the soils in the three larger agricultural areas. 8. To study the factors affecting soil ,formation. To study the capability of the land for future agricultural use. ONTARIO SOIL SURVEY COMMITTEE DOMINION DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE EXPERIMENTAL FARMS SERVICE DR. E. S. ARCHIBALD DR. A. LEAHEY DR. E. S. HOPKINS MR. L. E. WRIGHT ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE DR. G. I. CHRISTIE PROF. G. N. RVHNKE PROF. F. F. MORWICK ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. L. G. Reeds (now on Active Service), both in the field work and in the initial preparation of the maps. The physical and chemical analyses were done by Mr. A. L. Willis. The base maps used for the field work were obtained from the Departments of Highways and Lands and Forests, Toronto. The co-operation and advice of each of the Agricultural Representatives in the three areas was greatly appreciated. Considerable use has been made of published and un- published geological, forestal, climatic and census data, and reference to these is given throughout' the text. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE Part I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO........ .......... 9 Location and Extent. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. ... .. .. .. .... .. ... .. .. .. ... ... ..... .. 9 Administrative Centres and Principal Towns........ ... ... .. ... .. ... 10 Population and Racial Origin. ... ... .. ... .. ... ... .. ... ..... ........ ..... ... 10 Important Industries . ... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ... ..... ... .. ... .. .. ........ ... .. .. 11 Transportation and Markets. .. ... .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. .. ... 12 Part II. FACTORS AFFECTING SOIL FORMATION IN NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO.... .. ..... ... ..... .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. ... .. ... ..... ... .. ... ... .. ... .. .. .. .. 14 The Geological Materials Upon Which the Soils Have Formed... ... ... .. ... .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. ... .. ... ... .. ... .. .. .. .. ... ..... .. .. ... .. ........ 14 The Thunder Bay Area. ..... .. .. .. .. ..... .. .. ... .. ... .. ... ..... 17 The Rainy River Clay Plain....... ... .. .. ..... ... ..... .. .. .. .. ........ 18 The Dryden Area.. .. .. ... ... .. ... .. ... .. .. ..... ... ... .. ... .. ... ..... ..... ..... 20 Natural Vegetation.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..... ... ... .. .. ... ... ..... .. ... ... 20 Climate. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. ..... .. .. ... .. .. ... ..... ..... ... .. .. 21 Fire, Erosion and Cultivation. .. .. .. .. ... ..... .. .. .. .. ... ... .. ... .. ... .. 22 Part III. CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SOILS... ... .. .. .. .. .. ...... 24 Regional Soil Types.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 24 Local Soil Variations. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. .. 26 The Thunder Bay Area.. .. .. ... .. ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... ... .. .. 27 The O'CONNoR Land Type. .. .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... ... ... .. 27 The SCOBLE Land Type . ... .. .. .. .. .. ... ... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... ... .. .. .. 28 The FORBEs Land Type.. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ... ... .. 28 The PAPOONGE Land Type. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... ... .. ... .. 29 The UPSALA Land Type. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. 29 The SLATE RIVER Land Type... .. ... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 30 The OLIVER Land Type. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. 31 The DORION Land Type. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. ... .. .. ..... ... .. ... .. .. .. .. 31 The ROSSLYN Land Type. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... ... .. ... .. .. 32 The NEEBING Land Type. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. 32 The MCINTYRE Land Type. ... ... .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. ... 33 Shallow Soils Over Precambrian Bed Rock. .. ... .. ... ..... 33 Deep Peat Bogs. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ..... ... ... .. .. .. 34 The Rainy River Clay Plain.. .. .. ... ..... ... .. .. ... .. ... ... .. ... .. .. .. ...... 34 The BURRIss Land Type. .. ... .. .. ... .. ... ... .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. .. 34 The DEVLIN Land Type. ... .. .. ... .. ... .. .. .. ... ... .. ... .. .. ... .. 35 PAGE Part III. CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION OF THE SOILS-(Continued) The BLUE Land Type. ...... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. 36 The ATWOOD Land Type. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... .. 37 The SIFTON Land Type. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 37 The SHENSTON Land Type.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 38 The EMo Land Type. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. ... .. .. .. 38 The MCINNES CREEK Land Type. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 39 The DOBIE Land Type.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 The WORTHINGTON Land Type.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 The SPOHN Land Type.. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 The RAINY RIVER Land Type. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 41 The GAMELAND Land Type. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 42 . Shallow Soils Over Precambrian Bed Rock. .. .. .. 42 The Dryden Clay Area.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 43 The OXDRIFT Land Type. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... ... .. .. .. ... ... .. .. 43 The SANX)FORD Land Type. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 The WABIGOON Land Type. .. .. .. .. .,. .. .. ... ., .. .. .. .. 44 The DINORWIc Land Type. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. 44 The EAGLE LAKE Land Type . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..: . 45 Deep Peat Lands. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 45 Shallow Soils Over Precambrian Bed Rock. .. ... .. .. .. .. ., 46 Part IV. AGRICULTURE. .. .. .. : .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. 47 Settlement and Agricultural Development. .. .. .. .:... .. .. .. .. ... 47 Present Agriculture and Land Use. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 47 Capability of the Land in Northwestern Ontario for Agricultural Development.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 49 Part V. DISCUSSION OF ANALYTICAL DATA. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. , .. 54 APPENDIX-SURVEY METHODS . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 56 MAPS-1 . Land Types of the Thunder Bay Area. lIn pocket, inside 2. \Land Types of the Rainy River Clay Plain., back cover. 3 . Land Types of the Dryden Clay Area. 1{ ILLUSTRATIONS No. PAGE 1 . Outline Map of Ontario Showing the Location of the Three Areas Discussed in This Report . .. 8 2. An Association of White Spruce, Aspen, White Birch and Balsam Fir. A 3. A Podsol Soil Profile A 4 . A Peat Glei Profile. B 5. The Profile of a Degraded or Podsolized Grassland Soil . .. B 6. A Natural Landscape on Deep Peat Lands "Muskeg" C (' 7 . Burned-over Peat lands . D 8. Burned-over and Seeded Lands 9. Upland Scrub Land. .. .. .. .. .. D 10. I ndulating (flay Plain. F, 11 . A Farm on Rolling Topography . .. .. .. .. .. : . .. .. .. h; 12 . Good Farm Buildings on the Devlin `hype . .. .. .. .-. .,. F 13 . Farmstead on the Oliver hand Type. .. .. .. .. ..... F 14 . Abandoned Farm. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. G 15. Abandoned Farm on Fairly Good Land. .. ... .. .. .. .. G 16. Burned-over Rock-Knot) Lands. .: . .. .. .. ; . H 17 . Regeneration of .Jack Pine on Dry Sandy Soils . .. : . :_~ .. ;< . :_, .: .. .- . H TABLES No. PAGE 1 . Main Areas of Agricultural Development in ZNorthivestérn Ontario . 9 2 . Rural and Urban Population in Northwestern Ontario. .. .. .. .. .. 10 3 . Racial Origin of the Population of Northwestern Ontario. .. .. 11 4A . Mean and Critical Temperatures in Northwestern Ontario and other Selected Points. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 22 4n. Average and Critical Rainfall Data for Northwestern Ontario and Other Selected Points . .. .. ... .. ... 23 5. Key to Land Types of the Thunder Bay Area. .. .. 27 6. Key to Land Types of the Rainy River C'Iav Plain.. ... .. .. ... 34 7 . Key to the Land Types of the Dryden Clay Area . .. .. .. .. ... 43 8. Data Showing Agricultural Development and Production in the Districts of Thunder Bay, Rainy River and henora.. ._. .. .- . .. 48 9. Land Classes in Terms of t'se-Capahilities. .. .. .. .. 50 10. Land Types Included in Agricultural Use-Capability Class A .. .. 51 Land 11 . Types Included in Agricultural Use-Capability Class B. ..