THE OEANGEBUEG FINE SANDY LOAM. 15 



Special crops. During the past decade a strong effort has been 

 made to produce upon American soil a grade of cigar-filler tobacco 

 which would equal or approach in quality the Cuban-grown tdbaccos 

 of a similar class. The greatest measure of success in this direction 

 has been attained upon the Orangeburg fine sandy loam and the 

 Orangeburg sandy loam in western Florida, southwestern Georgia, 

 southern Alabama, and portions of eastern Texas. The crop is grown 

 in the open field, without shade, and is best suited to the medium deep 

 phase of the Orangeburg fine sandy loam or to a somewhat shallow 

 phase of the Orangeburg sandy loam. Both soils are competent to 

 produce heavy yields per acre under proper methods of tillage and 

 fertilization, and both produce tobacco having the body, texture, and 

 aroma necessary for a good cigar filler. It is not possible to attain 

 success in the production of filler tobacco, even upon these types of 

 soil, unless the utmost attention is paid to the deep and thorough 

 preparation of the land, to the maintenance of a large supply of 

 organic matter in the surface soil, to the heavy fertilization of the 

 crop by the use of 500 pounds or more of special commercial fer- 

 tilizer, and by the thorough tillage and tending of the crop during 

 every stage of its growth. Tobacco is an exacting crop in regard to 

 land preparation and the labor which must be bestowed upon it 

 during its growth, curing, and preparation for the market. The 

 yields secured upon the Orangeburg fine sandy loam range from 500 

 to 1,200 pounds or more per acre, and it may be characterized as tho 

 most valuable soil of the Southern States for the production of the 

 Cuban type of filler tobacco. In all three of the different regions in 

 which the Orangeburg fine sandy loam is characteristically developed 

 successful attempts at the production of this crop have been made. 



In a number of scattered localities alfalfa has been successfully 

 grown upon the Orangeburg fine sandy loam. The type lacks one of 

 the fundamental essentials for the easy and natural production of 

 alfalfa. It is not particularly calcareous either in soil or subsoil, 

 and in consequence land w^hich is to be devoted to alfalfa production 

 must be heavily limed. This is best accomplished through the appli- 

 \ cation of not less than 2,000 pounds per acre of burned stone lime, 

 slaked in the field, spread evenly over the surface, and harrowed in 

 to a depth of 2 or 3 inches at least two weeks before the crop is to be 

 seeded. Careful attention to artificial inoculation of the soil is 

 essential. This may be accomplished through the application of the 

 commercial cultures or by broadcasting from 500 to 1,000 pounds of 

 inoculated surface soil from an established alfalfa field. These are 

 the two chief precautions which must be taken for seeding to this 

 special crop. The soil which is selected for alfalfa growing should 

 be sufficiently productive to be able to grow more than one-half bale 

 of cotton to the acre or in excess of 30 bushels of corn. Otherwise 



