TRUCK ROILS. 347 



spring, require for their early maturity a very light, dry soil, contain- 

 ing not more than per cent: of clay. Such are watermelons, musk- 

 melons or cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, asparagus, and, 

 when early maturity is very important, Irish potatoes. On the other 

 hand, fall-planted crops are better adapted to heavier land, having a 

 clay content of from 6 to 12 per cent. Spinach and cabbage are good 

 examples of this class, and, as a general thing, strawberries, tomatoes, 

 pens, and beans give somewhat better results on the heavier truck 

 lands. 



By some truck growers two principal types of land are distinguished 

 near Newbern, N. C. : (1) A light yellow loam, excellent for peas and 

 tomatoes, and for Irish potatoes, which have a fine white color when 

 raised in this soil; (2) "gall-berry" land, which is richer in organic 

 matter, and consequently black in color. The surface soil is sandy, 

 clay is encountered in some quantity 2 to 3 feet below the surface, 

 and a solid clay bottom occurs at a usual depth of 5 or G feet. Soil of 

 this kind is warm and easily worked, but needs to be well drained, 

 else it will "drown out" in very wet seasons. At all times it is 

 decidedly more retentive of moisture than is the yellow loam. Gall- 

 berry land is considered by some "truckers" as unexcelled for straw- 

 berries, and for Irish potatoes, which are said to be better in size and 

 flavor, although less attractive in color, than when grown in the 

 yellow loam. 



It can be said of this region that the natural drainage is almost 

 everywhere deficient. Even the coastwise soils, which seem quite 

 light and dry in their original condition, are nevertheless found to 

 require at least cross furrowing before they are in fit condition for 

 raising truck crops. On most of the large farms a system of tile 

 drainage or of open ditches, intersecting every field, is employed. 



Another point is that the very light soils near the coast, which are 

 best fitted for forcing vegetables to early maturity, are all but, worth- 

 less in their primitive condition. Only by the heavy application of 

 fertilizers can they be made to yield good crops. The annual outlay 

 for fertilizers is an if em Dial should be well considered by anyone 

 who contemplates truck farming. Some idea of the amount of money 

 thus expended may be gained from the fact that on one farm near 

 Norfolk $16,000 to $17,000 is paid out each year for commercial 

 fertilizers. On the larger farms 160 to 175 worth of fertilizers per 

 acre is used. 



The cultivated truck soils are often slightly acid, although far less 

 so than are swamp lands. This is believed to be due rather to artifi- 

 cial than to natural conditions. The long-continued use of fertilizers 

 is held responsible by some truck growers for the sourness of their 

 land. Whatever its cause, the result is frequently injurious to the 

 crops, especially Irish potatoes, which are liable to rot in sour land. 

 Application of lime, usually in the form of burnt shells, is a remedy 



