54 VEGETABLE FORCING 



testify to the merits of the radically modified soil. While 

 many tons of organic matter were added by the use of 

 muck, annual applications of stable manure have also 

 been required to produce maximum crops. 



Boston soils. The soils of the Boston greenhouse 

 section belong to the Glacial and Loessial province. In- 

 asmuch as the region has not yet been surveyed, the soil 

 types cannot be designated. The following is a me- 

 chanical analysis of a typical soil from one of the Boston 

 greenhouses : 



Water-retaining capacity 67.90 



Organic matter 15.18 



Gravel 5.75 



Coarse sand 8.12 



Medium sand 7.07 



Fine sand 12.06 



Very fine sand 34.01 



Silt 2.10 



Fine silt 0.20 



Clay 3.82 



It is evident that sand largely predominates and that 

 there is also a liberal proportion of gravel. The large 

 amount of organic matter is due to the frequent applica- 

 tions of horse manure. The soils are well aerated, absorb 

 water rapidly, dry quickly on the surface and are well 

 adapted to forcing cucumbers, tomatoes and head lettuce. 



Chester fine sandy loam. Three-tenths per cent, or 

 1,472 acres, of the soils of Chester county, Pa., belong to 

 this type. A mechanical analysis* of a typical sample of 

 the Chester fine sandy loam gave the following results, 

 expressed in percentages : 



Fine gravel 2.1 



Coarse sand 10.4 



Medium sand 69 



Fine sand 23.3 



Very fine sand 19.7 



Silt 26.8 



Clay _ 10.8 



* Soil Survey of Chester County, Pennsylvania, U. S. Bureau of Soils. 



