(n.) The upper layer of soil; surface soil.

acres alluvion alluvium arable land band bed bedding belt clay clod couche course crust deck dirt dry land dust earth floor freehold gallery glebe grassland ground land landholdings layer ledge level lithosphere marginal land marl measures mold overlayer overstory real estate real property region regolith seam shelf sod soil stage step story stratum subaerial deposit subsoil substratum superstratum terra terra firma terrain territory the country thickness tier underlayer understory understratum woodland zone