470 BOTANICAL SURVEY OF DISMAL SWAMP REGION. 



vetches, at the edges of ditches along the shell roads would indicate 

 that a little lime is the principal requirement for a good meadow in 

 this region. 



PEANUTS. 



Norfolk is the principal point at which peanuts are prepared for 

 the market and are shipped to various parts of this country and 

 abroad. There arc several peanut factories in the city where the nuts 

 are received, sorted, and graded, the belter kinds polished and those 

 for confectioners' trade shelled. 



Peanuts are not grown to any noteworthy extent east or north of 

 the Dismal Swamp, but on the higher lands west of Suffolk the acre- 

 age in this crop is considerable. On the north side of Albemarle 

 Sound, near Edenton, peanuts rank next to cotton as a staple crop, 

 and nowhere do they grow better than on the warm, brown loams 

 which are best suited to the cultivation of cotton. 



FRUITS. 1 



-The principal cultivated fruits of the Dismal Swamp region, straw- 

 berries, watermelons, and canteloupes, have already been discussed 

 under the head of truck; no others are of first importance. 



Orchard fruits, with a few exceptions, do not appear to be well 

 adapted to conditions in this section. Apples are frequently planted, 

 bud the trees are small and the fruit is usually inferior. However, 

 certain summer apples, especially the lied Astrakhan, do quite well 

 on the heavier soils, and orchards of limited size are not rare. Pears 

 (Keifer) are less planted than apples. Peaches do not seem to thrive 

 as a rule, and receive little attention, although one fruit grower at 

 West Norfolk reports 50 acres of peach orchard. Kigs are often 

 planted near dwellings, especially in the southern part of the region, 

 and mature their fruit freely. Grapes, especially the scuppernong, a 

 derivative of the ubiquitous native muscadine, are much grown in 

 arbors. There are a few small vineyards in the region, the varieties 

 cultivated being chiefly derivatives of Fit is labrusca. 



The growing of bramble fruits is very limited. Blackberries are 

 raised here and there, one grower having as much as 15 acres. The 

 most popular variety in this region is the "Wilson." An obstacle to 

 success with this fruit is the prevalence of the disease known as 

 "double blossom.' 1 It is possible that the native sand blackberry, 

 whose sweet, well-flavored fruit might be susceptible of improvement, 

 would be found immune from this disease when cultivated. The cul- 

 tivation of dewberries should also prove a profitable industry. Planta- 

 tions of raspberries occur, but these are very few and very small. It 

 would seem highly desirable to increase the production of fruits of this 

 class in the Dismal Swamp region, as the demand for them is con- 



1 For much of my information in regard to the fruits of this section I am indebted 

 to Mr. W. A. Taylor, assistant pomologist of the Department of Agriculture. 



