12 



the general farm and special crops. The sandy members of the series 

 are very desirable for strawberries, especially for late varieties. They 

 are also well suited to truck crops, such as cabbage, kale, lettuce, and 

 root crops, and could be used to advantage for celery, onions, and 

 other crops that thrive in soils of high organic matter content. In 

 Duplin County, N. C., the sand and fine sandy loam have been 

 found particularly adapted to the growing of bulbs, large yields of 

 tuberoses, dahlias, and cannas being secured. The heavier members 

 are used chiefly for corn, small grain, and grass, though they are also 

 used in places for celery, onions, and cabbages. 



PORTSMOUTH FINE SAND. 



The Portsmouth fine sand to a depth of more than 1 foot, usually 

 to a depth of 16 or 18 inches in the vicinity of Savannah, consists 

 of a dark-gray to dark-brown fine loamy sand, which is evidently a 

 combination of fine sand with the mucky remains of organic matter. 

 The subsoil to a depth of 3 feet or more is a rusty brown fine sand, 

 sometimes almost black or mottled dark brown and gray. In all of 

 the borings taken the subsoil was found to be saturated with water 

 (April 20-21, 1909), even in cultivated fields which had been arti- 

 ficially drained by open ditches. In undrained fields the water table 

 (zone of saturation) stood a few inches below the surface. 



The Portsmouth fine sand occupies the nearly level but somewhat 

 depressed areas between the higher ridges and in the central portions 

 of the flatter upland sections. It is also found in the " baj^s," draws, 

 and partially established drainage channels. This type grades into 

 the Norfolk fine sandy loam or the Norfolk fine sand along the 

 higher margins and into other members of the Portsmouth series 

 toward the central and lower portions of the poorly drained areas. 

 All of the soils of the Portsmouth series owe their dark color and 

 mucky characteristics to imperfect natural drainage, either present 

 or recently corrected. The continued luxuriant growth of deciduous 

 trees, vines, and other undergrowth has supplied a large amount of 

 organic matter, which has annually fallen upon moist or water- 

 soaked soil. Instead of complete destructive decomposition a partial 

 decay and partial preservation of the carbonized organic matter has 

 ensued, and the mingling of this vegetable matter with the fine sand 

 and silt washed or blown in from dryer uplands has resulted in the 

 formation of the soils of the Portsmouth series. 



Before any portion of the Portsmouth fine sand can be successfully 

 tilled it must be cleared of rank vegetation and so thoroughly drained 

 by open main ditches and tiled laterals that the level of standing 

 water in the subsoil is lowered to a depth of not less than 18 inches 

 from the surface of the land. When thus effectively drained the 



[Cir. 19] 





