10 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



The more mucky phases of the Portsmouth sandy loam are also 

 well suited to the production of celery, onions, and lettuce, although 

 the acreage devoted to these crops is in the main limited. Again, 

 drainage is essential, but in the case of these crops liming is not 

 nearly so requisite as with the cabbage and kale. 



Among the subordinate trucking crops for the Portsmouth sandy 

 loam may be mentioned garden peas, snap beans, and cantaloupes, 

 although the general production of these crops upon the type is not 

 to be recommended. 



Berries. In southern -Delaware, in some portions of the Eastern 

 Shore of Maryland, and in a few localities in eastern Virginia and 

 eastern North Carolina a considerable acreage of the Portsmouth 

 sandy loam has been occupied for the production of strawberries. In 

 the more northern localities the Portsmouth sandy loam is the chosen 

 soil for growing this fruit. The land is cleared, drained, and usually 

 thrown up into low beds or ridges with shallow but pronounced 

 trenches between them. Generally the matted-row system of planting 

 is followed, and the strawberries are set out in parallel rows upon 

 the shoulders of the ridges. Tillage operations are then con- 

 ducted between these double rows and the growth of the vines is 

 restricted as far as possible to the ridges. In general the late varie- 

 ties of strawberries are planted, the profit lying in the large yields 

 and excellent quality of the berries, rather than in early maturity. 

 The moist soil tends toAvard the growth of large berries, which are 

 juicy and usually well colored. The large proportion of organic 

 matter in the surface soil protects the berries from being covered 

 with sand when beating rains occur just before the picking season. 

 This difficulty has been encountered upon the more sandy and 

 earlier upland soils, and in many cases has led to the selection of 

 the Portsmouth sandy loam in preference to the other types. When 

 the beds upon the ridges have attained their maximum yield and 

 have begun to decline, new ridges are formed between the old rows 

 and the vines transplanted from the old beds, and in this way the 

 same acreage is frequently maintained in strawberries throughout a 

 considerable number of years. Adequate drainage, heavy fertiliza- 

 tion, and careful tillage are required to secure the maximum returns 

 from the strawberries. The crop, however, is one of the most im- 

 portant special crops which may be produced upon the Portsmouth 

 sandy loam. 



Within recent years the Portsmouth sandy loam has been planted 

 to some extent to dewberries in the same general localities where 

 strawberry culture has been developed. The crop has proven suc- 

 cessful and additional acreages will undoubtedly be developed upon 

 the type. 



