10 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



FARM EQUIPMENT. 



The farm equipment of the Susquehanna fine sandy loam does not 

 differ material^ from that of the other soils in the region in which it 

 occurs. The small turnplow and the one-horse or one-mule hitch 

 are most commonly used. The introduction of better machinery for 

 the tillage of the soil is to be recommended. The disk plow and 

 harrow permit a broadcast preparation of the land and are recom- 

 mended for all of the more level areas, since deeper plowing and the 

 thorough stirring of the surface soil are essential for the proper 

 treatment of this type. 



SUMMARY. 



The Susquehanna fine sandy loam is an extensive type of soil 

 throughout the Gulf Coastal Plain area. It occurs to a considerable 

 extent in Alabama and adjoining States, but is chiefly found in north- 

 ern Louisiana and the timbered belt of eastern Texas. 



It occupies rolling to hilly areas lying at altitudes of 200 to 500 

 feet above tide level. 



Cotton and corn are the principal crops grown upon the Susque- 

 hanna fine sandy loam, the former yielding about one-third of a bale 

 per acre, and the latter about 15 bushels. Winter oats, cowpeas, 

 sorghum, peanuts, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and melons are also 

 grown. 



For its improvement the Suequehanna fine sandy loam needs care- 

 ful protection from soil erosion, deeper plowing, and the incorpora- 

 tion of organic matter in the surface soil. It is capable of consid- 

 erable improvement by the use of these methods. 



There remain extensive areas of this soil type capable of occupation 

 and agricultural development, particularly in the western Gulf coast 

 region. This sandy soil is well suited to the growing of cotton under 

 boll-weevil conditions; the early maturity of the crop constitutes 

 one of the essential features of combating this pest. 



In general the Susquehanna fine sandy loam is not particularly well 

 equipped with modern farm machinery, and the introduction of 

 tillage tools suited to the deeper plowing and the broadcast prepara- 

 tion of the land is to be advised. 



