Ailey Series

• Depth class: Deep or very deep to a dense, brittle layer (Cd)
• Drainage class: Well drained
• Permeability: Rapid in the sandy surface and subsurface layers and slow in the cemented and brittle layers of the subsoil and substratum
• Parent material: Sandy and loamy marine sediments
• Landscape position: Uplands
• Slope: 2 to 25 percent
• Classification: Loamy, siliceous, thermic Arenic Kanhapludults

Geographically Associated Soils

• Bonifay soils, which have more than 5 percent plinthite in the subsoil
• Cowarts soils, which have an argillic horizon within a depth of 20 inches
• Fuquay soils, which have more than 5 percent plinthite in the subsoil
• Nankin soils, which do not have a thick, sandy surface layer

Typical Pedon

Ailey loamy sand, 2 to 5 percent slopes; south 0.6 mile on Georgia Highway 117 from the Eastman city limits, southwest 2.3 miles on Georgia Highway 67, northwest 3.0 miles on a county road, and 600 feet north of the road; in Dodge County

• Ap—0 to 6 inches; dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) loamy sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; many fine roots; very strongly acid; clear smooth boundary.
• E—6 to 23 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/4) loamy sand; weak fine granular structure; very friable; few fine and medium roots; very strongly acid; clear wavy boundary.
• BE—23 to 27 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) sandy loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• Bt—27 to 38 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; weak medium subangular blocky structure; friable; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• Btx—38 to 51 inches; yellowish brown (10YR 5/8) sandy clay loam; common medium distinct strong brown (7.5YR 5/8) and common medium prominent red (2.5YR 4/8) mottles; moderate medium subangular blocky structure; firm in place; slightly hard, cemented, and brittle in 35 percent, by volume; few distinct clay films on faces of peds; very strongly acid; gradual wavy boundary.
• Cd—51 to 65 inches; mottled yellowish brown (10YR 5/6), red (2.5YR 4/8), pale brown (10YR 6/3), and light gray (10YR 7/2) sandy clay loam; massive; firm in place; very strongly acid.

Range in Characteristics

• Thickness of the solum: 51 to 65 inches
• Thickness of the sandy epipedon: 23 to 33 inches
• Content of coarse fragments: 0 to 5 percent quartz pebbles in the A and E horizons
• Reaction: Very strongly acid or strongly acid throughout, except in limed areas
• Distinctive features: The gray mottles in the lower horizons are not indicative of wetness.
• A or Ap horizon:
  • Thickness—3 to 6 inches
  • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 2
• E horizon:
  • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 4 or 5, and chroma of 4
• BE horizon:
  • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 4 to 6, and chroma of 4 to 8
• Bt horizon:
  • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 5, and chroma of 6 to 8
• Btx horizon:
  • Color—hue of 10YR, value of 5, and chroma of 6 to 8; mottles in shades of brown, red, and gray
• Cd horizon:
  • Color—mottled in shades of brown, red, and gray

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