KEPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. LXI 



The work in the Craven area was carried on particularly in the inter- 

 est of the truck growers and in order to outline the truck soils in this 

 area, which is not as yet very thickly settled. 



The work in the Hickory area was in the interest of general farm- 

 ing and, in the mountainous portion, of fruit growing. It is propased 

 to extend this work during the present field season to the Mount 

 Mitchell area in the interest of the fruit growers. 



There is no more interesting development at the present time in the 

 Atlantic coast States than that of the fruit interests in the mountains 

 6i Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama. From the work 

 so far done in these States it is clearly apparent that the soil has an 

 important bearing on the difierent fruit crops, and the apple and peach 

 soils can be identified and outlined as a basis for the intelligent devel- 

 opment of these industries. Not only are certain soils adapted to 

 apples, l)ut certain varieties of apples do better on some soils than on 

 others, and the same is probably true of other fruits. 



The North Carolina department of agriculture has cooperated very 

 cordially and very helpfully in this work, and it appears desirable to 

 continue this cooperation, assigning a party there for nine months 

 during the coming field season to extend the soil survey. 



NORTH DAKOTA. 



Very strong demands have come from this State for the extension 

 of the soil survey to include most of the arable portion of the State. 

 It has been impossible until recently to start the work there, but a 

 party has just been assigned to the Grand Forks area, in the Red River 

 Valley, under the direction of Mr. Jensen, who has had wide experi- 

 ence in similar areas in Utah and Montana. 



Considerable quantities of alkali are encountered, but generally at 

 a sufiicient depth below the surface to enable the annual crops to be 

 produced. The surface foot is usualh'^ free from alkali, and as there 

 is no irrigation, and little chance for irrigation, it is believed that 

 there is little danger of the alkali coming to the surface and spread- 

 ing. It seems a risky thing, however, to have the valuable crops of 

 the locality growing over and so close to these alkali salts, and the 

 possibility of the rise of this alkali should be fully investigated. If 

 it were in an area where water was available for irrigation, it could 

 safely be predicted that the land would quickly be injured by the rise 

 of alkali, but with no opportunity for irrigation the chances are that 

 conditions may not become more serious than at present. This is a 

 question, however, that these investigations will have to solve. The 

 work is being carried on in cooperation with the State geologist. 



It seems desirable to assign a party to this State for six months' 

 work during the next field season. 



