THE ORANGEBUEG FINE SAND. 9 



In northern Louisiana and northeastern Texas the Orangeburg 

 fine sand constitutes one of the best of the extensively developed 

 peach soils. Its location upon the higher ridges, its rolling surface, 

 its deep sandy surface soil, the excellent air and water drainage, and 

 the presence of the sandy clay subsoil serving to store sufficient mois- 

 ture to promote continued tree growth are all conditions favorable 

 to peach orcharding. The Elberta variety is particularly well suited 

 to the climatic conditions under which the Orangeburg fine sand 

 occurs most extensively and is the variety principally planted, al- 

 though others are successfully grown. Care should be taken that 

 areas selected are not threatened by excessive erosion nor so level as 

 to give rise to stagnation of water within either surface soil or subsoil. 



For the vegetables and small fruits, those areas of the type which 

 possess a deep fine sand or fine sandy loam surface soil should be 

 chosen. If the depth equals or exceeds 24 inches the earliest crops 

 may be grown, while even upon the average of the type fairly early 

 vegetable crops may be secured. For the production of early Irish 

 potatoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, and tomatoes the Orangeburg 

 fine sand is probably excelled only by the Norfolk fine sand within 

 the Gulf Coastal Plain region. 



EXTENT OF OCCUPATION. 



In general the Orangeburg fine sand has only been partially occu- 

 pied for agricultural purposes. In the more western communities 

 the land has but recently been cleared of forest and is only now being 

 utilized for the production of annual crops. In many more eastern 

 localities the areas of the Orangeburg fine sand are exceeded in extent 

 by other types of the same and associated series which are even better 

 suited to the growing of cotton and o*f corn. It is only where the 

 most improved methods of agriculture are being introduced or where 

 the value of the type for the production of special crops is appreci- 

 ated that the Orangeburg fine sand has been fully occupied and de- 

 veloped either as a general farming or as a special crop soil. In 

 consequence there are thousands of acres of the type still awaiting 

 occupation and development, particularly, in regions west of the 

 Mississippi River. In some instances additional transportation fa- 

 cilities must be supplied before this occupation can be extended, 

 though in most cases a proper appreciation of the best methods of 

 tillage and of the best crop adaptations would lead to a greater 

 demand for this soil. 



CROP ADAPTATIONS. 



Cotton is the principal crop grown upon the Orangeburg fine sand. 

 It is more resistant to drought than corn and is usually preferred as 

 the money crop of the entire region within which this type is found. 

 The yields secured are extremely variable. Upon the deeper, more 



