It mentions the fossils. How do scientists know about the ecology of the time? By the fossilized pollen and microscopic spores and other such things. So, yes, it did have something about fossils besides mentioning them straight out:
"According to Rogers' analysis of rocks and soils where the fossils were found..."
Not that I'll expect an apology or anything.
You're right. The only way soil can tell us about a climate is through fossils. So we should assume that he meant analyzing the fossils in the soil, not the soil itself, even though he didn't say that. I apologize.