14 SOILS OF PENDEE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 



Alfalfa has been successfully grown on a well-drained field of the 

 Norfolk fine sandy loam in the vicinity of Burgaw. After turning 

 down a crop of cowpeas with a two-horse turning plow running 

 about 10 inches deep, the land was thoroughly disked and then given 

 a heavy application of stable manure. The manure was turned 

 under to a depth of 5 or 6 inches, the field redisked and lime applied 

 at the rate of 1,000 pounds to the acre. This was followed by another 

 harrowing and an application of TOO pounds per acre of an 8-5-7 

 fertilizer. The field was then seeded (September 28) following a 

 good rain. The seed was inoculated and in addition soil from a well- 

 established field of alfalfa applied. After several cuttings the stand 

 was injured in. an attempt to get rid of crab-grass, whereupon the 

 field was plowed again and reseeded. Four cuttings averaging 1,000 

 pounds each were secured in 1908. Three cuttings had been made at 

 the time of this investigation (June, 1909), and two others expected. 



There would be less danger from injury to a stand of alfalfa were 

 the land cultivated to an intertilled crop the year before seeding. 

 Such a field should be kept scrupulously free from grass throughout 

 the spring and summer. Inoculation can be done to the best ad- 

 vantage by an application of 400 or 500 pounds of soil from a well- 

 established field of alfalfa. (See Farmers 1 Bulletin No. 339, U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture.) Good underdrainage to a depth of at 

 least 3 feet should be secured before attempting to grow alfalfa. 

 Those areas should be selected in which the clay subsoil comes near 

 the surface. 



NORFOLK FINE SAND. 



Several areas of the Norfolk fine sand occur in different parts of 

 the county. The type consists of a light-gray to dark-gray loose 

 fine sand, underlain at a depth of a few inches by a light-gray to 

 pale-yellow fine sand. The color is darker in the timbered areas and 

 wet depressions. Where the drainage is poor the subsoil is often 

 quite compact. 



This is a warm-natured soil admirably adapted to the production 

 of early truck, especially Irish and sweet potatoes, melons, garden 

 peas, peanuts, and early cabbage. 



The soil is rather inclined to be droughty, but this tendency cr 

 be reduced to a minimum by turning under some green crops, such as 

 cowpeas, rye, or crimson clover, once every two years and by practic- 

 ing rotations which include frequent crops of the leguminous famih 

 Heavier applications of fertilizer are required than in case of 

 Norfolk fine sandy loam and more potash is needed. 



PORTSMOUTH FINE SANDY LOAM. 



The Portsmouth fine sandy loam is the second soil in point of area 

 extent and agricultural importance. It occurs in depressions anc 



[Cir. 20] 



