412 BOTANICAL SURVEY OK DISMAL SWAMP TIKOION. 



earlier in the season. Et would be quite superfluous to describe the 

 appearance of fields of this beautiful plant, or to expatiate upon its 

 prominence as a feature of the plant covering. 



Forage plants. — Timothy (Phleum pratense) is cultivated with con- 

 siderable success, but not to any great extent., on land cleared from 

 the Dismal Swamp. Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum) grows 

 well upon higher, lighter soil. The forage crop par excellence of the 

 region is the cowpea { Vignacatjang), which is planted either alone or 

 with Lndian corn, and usually after some truck crop lias been gath- 

 ered. Fields of German millet (ChaetocMod italica) are frequent. 

 Orchard grass (Dactyl is glwneraUi) is occasionally planted, and red 

 clover (Trifolium pratense) makes excellent growth, especially on 

 the heavier inland soils. Such grasses as perennial rye grass (Lolium 

 peremie), orchard grass (Dactyl is), blue grass (Poapraiensis), meadow 

 fescue (Fe.sf.uca elafior), velvet grass (Holcus lanatus), and legumes, 

 e. g., vetches ( Vicia saliva, V. anyustifoliu), clovers (Trifolium repens, 

 T. pro tense), and the black medick (Medicago lupulma), grow luxu- 

 riantly at the edges of roadside ditches, especially along Ihe shell 

 roads, where lime is abundant in the soil. 



Oilier field crops. — Peanuts are not a staple crop in the region north 

 and east of the Dismal Swamp. West, of the swamp, however, this is 

 one of the most important agricultural products. About Kdenton, 

 N. ('., the peanut is, next to cotton, the principal crop, being grown 

 usually upon the same type of warm, light, loamy soil which is pre- 

 ferred for the cultivation of cotton. 



Tobacco is occasionally sown in small patches by the negroes, and 

 is said to grow well upon light soils suitable to truck. South of the 

 Dismal Swamp region, near Newbern, N. C, it is a more important 

 crop, wrapper leaf being the usual type there cultivated. 



Sorghum is grown here and there near Norfolk, usually in small 

 quantity on farms, for homo consumption. 



CULTIVATED TREKS. 



Fruit trees. — Few orchard fruits are well adapted to conditions in 

 this region. Apples are frequent, and a variety of summer apple 

 does very well on the heavier soils. Peaches, cherries, and pears are 

 occasionally planted, but rarely in large numbers. The fig is a favor- 

 ite for planting about dwellings, and grows thriftily. 



Shade and ornamental trees. — In addition to the indigenous trees 

 already described, which occur at roadsides and about dwellings in 

 the country, having survived the destruction of the forest, there are 

 a number of species, some native, others introduced, which have 

 evidently been conveyed by artificial means to the stations which 

 they now occupy. 



At Fortress Monroe, in the city of Norfolk, and elsewhere, live oaks 



