178 THE SOILS OF PRr?TCE GEOEGe's COUNTY 



Over these areas the process of soil formation is still in progress, 

 and the meadow areas constitute incomplete stream terraces Avhicli 

 are not yet adapted to cultivation. Some portions of the meadow 

 area mapped in Prince George's County could be transformed into 

 agricultural lands by underdrainage or by inexpensive diking. 



Filled Material. — This represents that part of the city of Wash- 

 ington where the surface has been elevated by bringing in material 

 from other parts. On the islands bordering the Potomac the material 

 has been pumped from the river and allowed to settle in still water. 

 This is either a rich dark loam or sandy loam. It is almost entirely 

 above flood level and is capable of producing large crops. Some of 

 the trial gardens of the Department of Agriculture are located on 

 this material. 



Over Capitol Hill, in the northwest section of the city, and through 

 Mt. Pleasant and the Soldiers' Home regions large areas have been 

 graded down from 2 to 20 feet, but of this no account has been taken 

 and the original types are shown on the map. 



The Agkicultural Conditions. 



At the present time the land holdings of Prince George's County 

 vary in size from 100 or 200 acres up to 1,000 acres or more in a 

 single tract. The larger farms are worked under a tenant system, the 

 tenants making payment either in cash or in farm products, under 

 varying conditions of contract. ISTear the boundary of the District 

 of Columbia many of the larger farms have been subdivided into 

 small parcels and sold to persons desirous of engaging in market 

 gardening. Upon these smaller tracts are produced radishes, let- 

 tuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, green peas, sugar com, and 

 berries, which are transported to Washington by team and there 

 either sold from market stalls or peddled from house to house. Upon 

 these market-garden farms an intensive system of cultivation has 

 been practiced in order to produce a steady supply of the various 

 crops in season. The labor upon these small tracts is largely per- 

 formed by the owner, the members of his family, and a few hired 

 hands. Large amounts of lime, gas lime, and stable manure are 



