328 



The clay is the typical soil of the Piedmont Plateau and occupies two- 

 fifths of the total area of the series. It is recognized as the strongest 

 soil for general farming. It is adapted to grass, wheat, and corn in 

 Maryland and Pennsylvania, and export tobacco, wheat, and grass in 

 Virginia, cotton, with corn and wheat secondary, in the Carolines 

 and Georgia. Cowpeas succeed on this soil perhaps as well as any- 

 where in the country. The sandy loam, while not as strong a soil as 

 the clay, is generally preferred by the farmers on account of greater 

 ease of cultivation. It is the lightest soil of the series suitable for gen- 

 eral agriculture. In the South cotton is the leading crop, with corn 

 next in importance. In Virginia and the Carolinas it is used both for 

 bright-yellow and dark-shipping tobacco. Besides these staples a 

 great variety of minor crops is produced. Next in extent is the Cecil 

 sand, which is generally recognized as the bright tobacco soil of the 

 Piedmont region. It is especially adapted to sweet potatoes and water- 

 melons. The silt loam and loam are types of moderate productive- 

 ness and are used in the production of corn, cotton, wheat, oats, and 

 tobacco. The fine sandy loam is used chiefly for corn and cotton. It 

 produces fine-textured tobacco, and is also suited to the growing of 

 peaches and plums. The stony loam is found mainly in the more 

 northern States, where it is a good general farming and apple soil. 

 The clay is an excellent corn soil and produces fair crops of wheat, 

 oats, and hay. So far this soil has been found only in Pennsylvania. 



Chester Series. This series occurs in the northern part of the 

 Piedmont, having been found only in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and 

 Virginia. This series differs from the Cecil series in having yellow or 

 only slightly reddish subsoils and gray or brown surface soils, which 

 are on the whole lighter and more friable than those of the Cecil 

 series. The members of this series are also much more micaceous and 

 even more subject to erosion than the soils of the Cecil series. Lo- 

 cally they are known as gray lands to distinguish them from the red 

 lands of the Cecil series. The topography in general is not so rough, 

 being rolling to moderately hilly. 



Chester Series. The soils of this series occur -with the Cecil 

 series in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. They are gray to 

 red soils. They are not so strong as the Cecil soils, and require more 

 careful handling to maintain the yields. While used mainly for gen- 

 eral farming and especially adapted to corn, it is also well adapted for 

 fruit growing. In Maryland it is used for canning crops ; sweet corn 

 and tomatoes occupying important positions. 



Penn Series. This series consists of Indian or purplish-red soils. 

 It is 'especially adapted to grass and grain, and is well suited to 

 dairying. 



APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS AND PLATEAU. 



The Appalachian Mountains are made up of a number of paral- 

 lel ranges and intervening valleys, which extend in a general north- 

 east and southwest direction from southern New York to northern 

 Alabama, The elevation ranges from about 1,500 to nearly 7,000 

 feet above sea level, the highest point being attained in western North 

 Carolina. 



