8 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



crease in the yield, but in order to secure an adequate sweetening of 

 this soil burned stone lime should be applied at a rate of not less 

 than 1,000 pounds per acre, while double this amount may frequently 

 be used with satisfactory results. In the progress of soil surveys 

 certain localities have been encountered where the application of 

 even the more moderate amounts of lime has increased the yield of 

 corn to 50 bushels per acre, while portions of the type, upon which 

 sufficient lime and a moderate amount of complete commercial fer- 

 tilizer had been applied, have been known to yield as high as 80 

 bushels per acre. When these yields are compared with the yields 

 from unlimed areas of the same soil, or with any areas of other soils 

 in the same localities, it will be seen that the proper preparation 

 of the Portsmouth sandy loam will place it in high rank for the pro- 

 duction of corn. In fact, it is only surpassed as a corn soil in the 

 seaboard sections of the Middle Atlantic States by the Portsmouth 

 silt loam and some of the better drained areas of stream bottom land. 



The Portsmouth sandy loam is also a good soil for the production 

 of summer oats in the more northern regions, and of winter oats in 

 the more southern localities, provided in the latter case the drain- 

 age is adequate to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water in the 

 surface soil or over the surface of the land. As in the case of corn, 

 the application of lime not infrequently doubles the yield of oats. It 

 would be an excellent practice in the use of this soil to prepare the 

 land for corn, to apply the lime before the corn is planted, and after 

 the corn is harvested to follow with a winter crop of oats in the more 

 southern localities or a summer crop in the more northern ones. 

 Double benefit would be received from the liming of the soil, since 

 both the corn and the oats would be assisted in their growth. 



The Portsmouth sandy loam is occasionally used for cotton produc- 

 tion in the States from North Carolina south. The yields are only 

 fair, ranging from one-third bale to a little more than one-half bale 

 per acre. Unless the drainage of the soil is particularly good the 

 cotton is very liable to rust and the yield is materially reduced. 

 Some of the best fanners overcome this difficulty by the use of 300 

 to 400 pounds of kainit per acre when the land is planted to cotton. 

 The soil may scarcely be recommended as a cotton soil, but should 

 rather be utilized for the production of the forage crops, corn and 

 oats. 



Wheat is produced upon a limited acreage of the Portsmouth sandy 

 loam in Maryland and Delaware. The yields are only fair, averag- 

 ing 12 to 15 bushels per acre, and on such fields as water accumulates 

 during the winter months the winter wheat is liable to be smothered 

 or killed out with the freezing and heaving of the ground. The 

 crop may scarcely be recommended for general production even in 

 northern areas upon the Portsmouth sandy loam. 



