12 SOILS OF THE EASTEEN UNITED STATES. 



northward, at the elevations usually occupied by the Cecil sandy 

 loam, cotton is not a particularly good crop because of the short 

 growing season. Tobacco, the small grains, and grass are better 

 suited. From the same region southward, however, because of longer 

 season, cotton becomes the most important money crop, followed by 

 corn and the small grains. In the more southern regions in Georgia 

 and South Carolina watermelons are grown upon this type to better 

 advantage than upon any other Piedmont Plateau soil. In the more 

 northern regions of its development the melons may be produced, but 

 are more successful upon some sandy type of the Coastal Plain. 



EXTENT OF OCCUPATION. 



The Cecil sandy loam, because of its ease of cultivation, its favor- 

 able natural drainage conditions, and its elevated position, has always 

 been sought for the location of plantations and farms. As a result, 

 at one time or another practically all of its surface has been cleared 

 and occupied as farm lands. Within the last half century lack of 

 labor, the persistent practice of continuous clean-cultivation systems 

 of cropping, and failure to attend to destructive erosion have caused 

 considerable portions of the type in the more remote and more steeply 

 sloping localities to be thrown out of cultivation. However, in 

 almost all localities where the type is developed the greater part of 

 its surface is occupied by tilled crops, and only in less favorably 

 located regions has any large proportion of its surface been permitted 

 to grow up to the hardwood growths which take possession of this 

 soil when it is unoccupied. Probably more than 60 per cent of the 

 area of the type is now under cultivation, and if the necessary pre- 

 cautions to prevent erosion are observed, even a greater proportion 

 of it might well be tilled. It is considered very desirable land for 

 the production of general farm crops and of certain special crops 

 suited to production upon sandy land. 



CROP ADAPTATIONS. 

 GENERAL FARM CROPS. 



Corn is almost universally produced upon the Cecil sandy loam in 

 all localities where it is developed. Both the yellow and white varie- 

 ties of southern dent are produced, and while the yields are normally 

 low the quality of the corn is almost universally good. In the more 

 northern regions of its development the Cecil sandy loam produces 

 from 12 to 25 bushels of corn per acre, under ordinary conditions 

 of cultivation, but in many localities where proper crop rotation- 

 have been adopted the average yield is as high as 25 to 30 bushels 

 per acre. Throughout the extent of the type the yields of corn could 

 probably be doubled if more attention were paid to the incorporation 



