Editing Eastern Prickly Pear (section)

=== Powerline Cut (Middletown) ===

On May 17, 2012, I conducted an exploration of 1.14 miles of terrain (~2.3 mile out-and-back hike) along a powerline cut in Middletown, beginning at Bartholomew Road and terminating at Route 9.  The terrain along the powerline cut is a combination of meadow and rocky outcrops with elevations concentrated between 450 and 550 feet above mean sea level (AMSL), though maximum elevation reaches approximately 580 feet AMSL and minimum elevation drops as low as 330 feet AMSL.

This exploration was launched after I spotted dry, rocky outcrops beside the road while driving along Route 9 in Middletown.  I thought I had seen a few ''Juniperus virginiana'' (Eastern Red Cedar) which, in combination with the xeric, rocky character of the powerline cut, seemed to suggest it may offer suitable habitat for ''Opuntia humifusa''.

After a very thorough investigation of all of the rocky outcrops along the full-length of the powerline cut, I have not discovered any evidence of ''O. humifusa''.  In addition, the coniferous trees I had seen were confirmed not to be ''Juniperus'' sp.

The rocky outcrops along the powerline did seem suitable as cacti habitat, offering xeric conditions with well-drained soil and full exposure to sunlight.

A post-exploration review of soil types present along the powerline cut revealed a rather broad diversity of soil types which weren't necessarily known to be conducive to ''O. humifusa''.  These soil types included '''Catden and Freetown soils''' (Soil Type 18), '''Timakwa and Natchaug soils''' (Soil Type 17), '''Charlton-Chatfield complex''' (Soil Type 73E), '''Ridgebury, Leicester, and Whitman soils, extremely stony''' (Soil Type 3), '''Hollis-Chatfield-Rock outcrop complex''' (Soil Types 75C and 75E).  At the time of the exploration, none of these various soil types had been observed at known ''O. humifusa'' habitat in Connecticut.  My later discovery of the Ingham Hill Colony, however, indicates that Charlton-Chatfield Complex does, in fact, provide suitable soil for ''O. humifusa''.