THE HAGERSTOWN LOAM. 13 



for this latitude. Thus the Hagerstown loam throughout its extent 

 is an unusually valuable soil for the production of the bluegrass for 

 pasturage purposes, and of timothy and clover for the cutting of hay. 

 More recently alfalfa has been introduced as a forage crop in many 

 widely scattered locations upon the Hagerstown loam. In general 

 the introduction of this crop has been successful. Good stands may 

 be secured in practically all areas where the combined depth of soil 

 and subsoil exceeds 3 feet, unless there is some unusual obstruction to 

 subsoil drainage. In all cases the liming of the soil and its careful 

 inoculation before seeding to this crop are highly essential. The 

 area annually planted to alfalfa should be greatly extended through- 

 out the territory occupied by the Hagerstown loam. In fact, it is 

 one of the best soils of the Eastern and Southeastern States for 

 the production of this crop. 



These constitute the basic staple crops most universally grown 

 upon the Hagerstown loam. 



In addition to these crops the cigar-filler tobacco is raised upon the 

 Hagerstown loam, chiefly in Lancaster County, Pa. Under the care- 

 ful farming of that county the acreage yields range from 1,500 pounds 

 to 2,200 pounds, and tobacco constitutes a valuable accessory to the 

 other crops produced upon the farm. Throughout the region occu- 

 pied by the Hagerstown loam in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky 

 the White Burley tobacco for manufacturing and export purposes 

 is widely grown. The yields of this tobacco range from 1,000 to 2,000 

 pounds per acre, with a general average lying somewhere between 

 1,200 and 1,500 pounds. In both instances the tobacco fields usually 

 occupy only a part of the territory annually given to the production 

 of hoed crops and commonly tobacco displaces a part of the corn 

 acreage which would normally be planted. It constitutes a valuable 

 money crop in both of these localities. 



Hemp is not raised to any extent upon the Hagerstown loam except 

 in Kentucky. The yields average about 1,200 pounds of fiber per 

 acre. It is reported that the acreage devoted to hemp is being 

 decreased even in this section. 



There are several accessory crops which, owing to climatic pecu- 

 liarities or to local demand, are grown upon the Hagerstown loam. 

 Thus in northern Alabama and in southern Tennessee the preva- 

 lence of cotton farming in near-by localities has led to the growing 

 of this crop upon the Hagerstown loam. The soil occurs only near 

 the northern limits of the climatic adaptation of cotton, and while 

 the yields range from one-third to three-fourths bale an acre, it 

 cannot be said that cotton growing has any strong foothold upon 

 the Hagerstown loam. Similarly cowpeas are grown to a limited 

 extent in this more southern region as a forage crop in connection 

 with corn. In a few localities hi Tennessee a small acreage of canta- 



