Narragansett (soil)
Encyclopedia
Narragansett - Coarse-loamy over sandy or sandy-skeletal, mixed, active, mesic Typic Dystrudepts
The (Unofficial) State Soil of Rhode Island, USANarragansett soils occur on approximately 12,000 acres (49 km²) in Rhode Island and also occur in the adjacent states of
Connecticut and Massachusetts. They are productive agricultural soils. Silage corn, hay, and vegetables are the principal crops. Oaks, white pine, and beech are the most common forest species. Many areas are used for residential development. The name “Narragansett” is the name of the town where the soil was first classified. The town was named for the indigenous Narragansett Tribe. Narragansett is an
English corruption of Nanhigganeuck, their actual name meaning "people of the small point."
The Narragansett soil series consist of well drained, loamy soils that formed in friable (ablation) glacial till mantled with
a silty eolian (loess) cap. These soils are on uplands. The average annual precipitation ranges from 40 to 50 inches. The average annual temperature is 45 to 52 °F.