THE ORANGEBURG FINE SAND. 11 



although these yields are readily doubled through the adoption of 

 proper methods of green manuring and of tillage, such as have been 

 outlined for growing the cotton crop. Usually corn might better be 

 produced upon the Orangeburg fine sandy loam, the Orangeburg 

 clay, or some other more retentive type of soil generally associated 

 with the Orangeburg fine sand. 



Winter oats are grown to a limited extent upon this soil. The 

 yields are low, partly because of insufficient preparation of the land, 

 and partly because the crop is not particularly well adapted to such 

 a sandy soil. The oats are either grazed off during the winter or 

 cut for hay in the spring or early summer. 



Truck crops. The Orangeburg fine sand ranks ne,xt to the Nor- 

 folk fine sand as the best medium to early trucking soil in the Gulf 

 coast region. Owing to its more extensive development in the west- 

 ern Gulf region it is there the dominant trucking soil. The type 

 possesses the principal requisites for forcing garden vegetables and 

 small fruits to early maturity. It is porous, well drained, warm, 

 and easily tilled, and considerable proportions of the type are suffi- 

 ciently level to permit of complete occupation for gardening pur- 

 poses. Those portions of the type which possess 24 inches or more 

 of the surface fine sand or fine loamy sand overlying the sandy clay 

 subsoil are the warmest and earliest, and therefore best suited for 

 trucking, although the general average of the type is fairly well 

 suited to such uses. 



The principal truck crops grown are early Irish potatoes, sweet 

 potatoes, watermelons, cantaloupes, tomatoes, and strawberries. 

 The type is the best cantaloupe soil to be found in the Western Gulf 

 States. - It is almost equally well suited to watermelon growing, 

 although the Orangeburg sandy loam is fully as well suited to the 

 production of the latter crop. It is one of the best sweet potato 

 soils either for the production of the potatoes as an early trucking 

 crop or for the standard, staple supply for local use. Tomatoes are 

 grown not only for shipment in baskets to the northern and western 

 markets, but also in some localities for canning purposes. 



There are several important trucking crops which are not yet gen- 

 erally grown upon the Orangeburg fine sand, but which might be 

 introduced to advantage. Among these, early garden peas, snap 

 beans, cucumbers, and asparagus are probably best suited to the type. 



In practically all instances where the Orangeburg fine sand is to 

 be utilized for market-garden purposes it will be necessary to obtain 

 large amounts of stable manures for the proper preparation of the 

 land. The experience of the Atlantic coast trucking districts has 

 demonstrated that upon a similar soil type, the Norfolk fine sand, 

 continued success in the trucking business is largely dependent upon 

 stable manure from city sources. For the majority of crops the 



