This Soil Survey contains information that can be applied in managing farms and woodland; in selecting sites for roads, ponds, buildings, and other structures; and in judging the suitability of tracts of land for farming, industry, and recreation.

Locating Soils

All the soils of Centre County are shown on the detailed map at the back of this publication. This map consists of many sheets made from aerial photographs. Each sheet is numbered to correspond with a number on the Index to Map Sheets.

On each sheet of the detailed map, soil areas are outlined and are identified by symbols. A11 areas marked with the same symbol are the same kind of soil. The soil symbol is inside the area if there is enough room; otherwise, it is outside and a pointer shows where the symbol belongs.

Finding and Using Information

The "Index to mapping units" can be used to find information. It lists all the soils of the county in alphabetic order by map symbol and shows the page where each is described. The capability subclass of each soil is indicated at the end of the soil description. Other information is available in tables see the Summary of Tables.

Individual colored maps showing the relative suitability or degree of limitation of soils for many specific purposes can be developed by using the soil map and the information in the text. Translucent material can be used as an overlay over the soil map and colored to show soils that have the same limitation or suitability. For example, soils that have a slight limitation for a given use can be colored green, those ~ with a moderate limitation can be colored yellow, and those with a severe limitation can be colored red.

Farmers and those who work with farmers can learn about use and management of the soils from the soil descriptions and from the discussions of the capability units and the woodland interpretations.

Foresters and others can refer to the section "Woodland," where a table shows the relative suitability of the soils for growing trees.

Game managers, sportsmen, and others can find information about soils and wildlife in the section "Wildlife."

Community planners and others can read about soil properties that affect the choice of sites for nonindustrial buildings and for recreation areas in the sections "Town and country planning" and "Recreational development."

Engineers and builders can find, under "Engineering uses of the soils," tables that contain test data, estimates of soil properties, and information about soil features that affect engineering practices.

Scientists and others can read about how the soils formed and how they are classified in the section "Formation and classification of the soils." 15

Newcomers to Centre County may be especially interested in the section "General soil map," where broad patterns of soils are described. They may also be interested in the information about the county given at the beginning of the publication, and in the section "General nature of the county."

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