14 SOILS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



Since the higher lying areas are almost equally well suited for cotton 

 production, a selection should be made of the areas to be planted to 

 the two crops in accordance with the above directions. 



In the inland belt of the eastern Gulf section, where the Orange- 

 burg fine sandy loam is widely developed, the yields of corn range 

 from 8 to 25 bushels, and about the same range is found in the 

 Louisiana-Texas belt. The lower yields are chiefly caused by exces- 

 sive erosion over some portions of the type, which unfits them for 

 corn. Wherever the seasonal rainfall is light, approaching the criti- 

 cal amount for corn production, only the areas with deeper surface 

 soil should be selected for this crop. 



Oats constitute a very important crop for winter production upon 

 the Orangeburg fine sandy loam. In the cotton States the crop is 

 chiefly grown to be cut as hay for the feeding of work stock. It is 

 therefore difficult to estimate the possible grain yields per acre. In 

 many instances where the oats have been thrashed, yields have ranged 

 from 15 to 30 or 35 bushels, and the latter yield could easily be se- 

 cured with the adoption of a proper rotation and of that degree of 

 carefulness of tillage requisite for the management of this soil. 



Cowpeas are coming to be extensively grown, both for hay and as 

 a green manuring crop. Wherever sown for hay the land is plowed 

 broadcast and the cowpeas are drilled or broadcasted in. Excellent 

 yields are reported, ranging from 2 to 4 tons per acre of cowpea hay. 

 The land is benefited not only by the growing of a leguminous crop 

 in proper rotation, but also through the plowing in of a large mass 

 of organic matter, consisting of the stubble and roots of the plants. 

 Upon plantations where cowpeas are annually grown for forage pur- 

 poses unusually large amounts of stable and yajrd manure are com- 

 mOnly made. Thus the supply of organic matter for the fertilization 

 of intertilled crops is doubly increased and the practice of producing 

 a considerable area of cowpeas for hay is highly to be recommended 

 upon all cotton plantations where the dominant soil is the Orangeburg 

 fine sandy loam, or one of similar characteristics. Cowpeas are also 

 sown between the rows of corn at the last cultivation and may be 

 either grazed off or turned under in the succeeding spring as a green 

 manuring crop. 



Cotton, corn, winter oats, and cowpeas constitute the principal 

 staple crops which are well suited for production upon the Orange- 

 burg fine sandy loam wherever it is used for any system of general 

 farming, including cotton as the main money crop. The growing of 

 the other three in proper rotation will not only increase the cotton 

 yields, but will also decrease or eliminate the heavy annual expendi- 

 tures for grain and forage for the work stock and other farm ani- 

 mals and will ultimately reduce the heavy annual expenditures for 

 fertilizer. 



