6 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



In fields which have been long tilled the surface soil usually lacks 

 organic matter. The remedy for this condition lies with each in- 

 dividual farmer. Improvement with respect to the humus content 

 may be secured within short periods of time through the use of proper 

 methods for the restoration of organic matter to the soil. 



The drainage of the type is excellent and only in a few cases ex- 

 cessive. In consequence, little attention need be paid to the construc- 

 tion of open ditches or to ridding the soil of excess moisture in the 

 majority of the areas where it is found. Erosion constitutes one of 

 the most serious dangers with which the farmers upon this type are 

 forced to contend. The elevated position and the rolling to hilly 

 character of the country where the Orangeburg fine sandy loam is 

 most widely developed, coupled with the normally heavy rainfall 

 which occurs during the earlier months of spring before vegetation 

 is fully developed, make erosion a serious problem in its cultivation. 

 It is desirable therefore that only the more moderate slopes within 

 the area of this soil type should be occupied for the intertilled crops. 

 Slopes of more than 10 declivity should be occupied by pasture 

 grasses, while the steepest slopes should be allowed to remain in 

 forest. Even over the more gentle slopes of the tilled fields it 

 is desirable that contour farming and terracing should be adopted 

 whereby the furrows are drawn around the circumference of the 

 slope with only slight inclination from a level position. 



Upon all of the steeper slopes frequent terraces should be left in 

 sod, in order to intercept the flow of water across the surface. If 

 this method of cultivation is carefully followed and deeper plowing 

 practiced over the greater portion of the type, danger from erosion 

 will be minimized, although under no conditions entirely obviated. 

 Wherever possible some winter cover crop should occupy the surface 

 soil after the, picking of the cotton or the removal of the corn crop. 

 If these precautions should be adopted generally in the tillage of the 

 Orangeburg fine sandy loam, not only would the crop yields be 

 profitably increased, but thousands of additional acres might be 

 brought under cultivation. 



Aside from the gullying of the steeper slopes through excessive 

 erosion, there are practically no obstructions to the tillage of the 

 Orangeburg fine sandy loam. Both soil and subsoil are stone free, 

 and upon all of the more gentle slopes heavier teams and implements 

 may be used, and should be used, for the preparation of the land and 

 the tillage of the crop. 



All of the more extensive areas of this soil occur within the warm 

 temperate zone of the Gulf region. Rainfall is adequate and often 

 excessive, and in many instances the tempering influence of the Gulf 

 climate so modifies the growing season as to make possible the pro- 

 duction of all of those crops suited to a warm temperate climate. 



