20 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. [Vol. 40 



Cape May Counties and the southeastern portions of Middlesex and Mercer 

 Counties. The work is based upon comprehensive soil and crop surveys of the 

 region and upon soil preferences expressed by about 1,000 representative 

 farmers located chiefly in the sections where the soil and crop surveys were 

 made. For purposes of study and comparison, the region has been divided into 

 areas designated as Freehold, Hartford, Thorofare, and Swedesboro, and the 

 discussions are supplemented by tabulated statistics, numerous illustrations, 

 and detailed soil and ccop maps. The soils of the region have already been 

 dealt with in the following surveys: Salem area (E. S. R., 14, p. 640), Trenton 

 area (E. S. R., 15, p. 658), Freehold area (E. S. R., 34, p. 616), and Camden 

 area (E. S. R., 37, p. 123). 



The geographical location and transportation facilities of southern New 

 Jersey are said to be such that the largest markets on the continent for both 

 staple and special farm products lie within easy reach of even the most remote 

 localities. The rainfall and temperature also favor the production of all the 

 most important staple and special crops suited to the latitude. 



It is concluded that "the more than two centuries of agricultural develop- 

 ment in the region have brought about a thorough comprehension of the fact 

 that crops do not all thrive equally well upon all soils. There has been a con- 

 stant tendency to adapt the cropping and the agricultural systems of the regions 

 to local soil conditions in such a way that the most paying crops may be grown 

 upon each soil of marked characteristics. This selective cropping has resulted 

 in the avoidance of excessively drained soils, like those of the Lakewood series, 

 for any agricultural use; a failure to utilize wet soils for any but the most 

 extensive systems of cropping, such as the growing of grass tor pasture and 

 hay upon the tidal marsh areas; the utilization of the more sandy soils, Irre- 

 spective Of their relative distance from market, for the growing of the early 

 vegetables, commonly called truck crops ; the use of intermediate types of 

 soils, such as the sandy loams, for the growing of a wide variety of truck crops, 

 general farm crops, and. where altitude favors, of commercial orchard crops; 

 a decided specialization toward the grain and grass crops upon the fine Bandy 

 loam and loam soils, with the more recent use of the loam soils for the growing 

 of Irish potatoes and of tomatoes for canning purposes; the utilization of every 

 reasonably level acre of good upland soil for crop production of some kind; 

 [and] the utilization of small areas of overflow or of undrained land for graz- 

 ing purposes in connection with the Special tillage of all upland anas. Other 

 things being reasonably equal, the fanners of southern New Jersey have a very 

 decided and well-founded preference for the utilization of each specific soil 

 type for the growing of the special crop or group of crops which is best suited 

 to that soil." 



Some observations about the soils of the northeast Indian tea districts, 

 G. D. Hoi-k {Agr. -lour. India, Indian Set Cong. Yo., 1918, pp. 108-118, ph. 2).— 

 The author presents a general descri pti on of the prevailing soils of the four 

 principal tea districts in northeastern India, with particular reference to their 

 origin. With the exception of the mountain areas, the soils of the whole region 

 are said to be alluvial in character. 



Relationship between the unfree water and the heat of wetting of soils and 

 its significance, O. J. Bouyoucos {Michigan Stn. Tech. Bvl .',2 {1918), pp. 98).— 

 This reports the results of investigational work dealing with the relationship 

 between the heat of wetting of oven-dry soils and other substances and the 

 amount, of so-called combined water that failed to freeze at —78° C. as measured 

 by the dilatometer method (E. S. R., 39, p. 18), and with the heat of wetting 

 of various materials in different liquids, including water, ligroin, toluene, and 



