XLVIII REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 



talline rock areas of the Piedmont plateau. The area selected was 

 close to the Neuse River, which has considerably altered the materials 

 within a few miles of its channel, making such changes, in fact, that 

 16 distinct soil types were recognized and their agricultural values 

 determined. It seems almost incredible that in a district so compara- 

 tively small as this, and on what has always been considered rather a 

 uniform portion of the coastal plain, there should be so great a varia- 

 tion in the soil types, and that these different soils should have such 

 markedly different values for crops. 



The fact remains, however, that the differences are veiy great, and 

 it was pointed out in the report that certain of the types are adapted 

 to certain interests peculiar to that region or to similar regions of the 

 coastal plains which have been studied elsewhere. The soils adapted 

 to truck crops, bright tobacco, cotton, wheat, corn, and grass, and 

 those which are not adapted to any of our present crops, are indicated 

 on the maps and are described in the report. 



In the spring of 1901 an area of 800 square miles was surveyed 

 around Statesville, N. C, and a camp was established there for the 

 training of some of our field men. The soils in this area are derived 

 from granites, gneisses, and other crystalline rocks, and are similar to 

 the soils of the Piedmont region in Virginia and Maryland. The prin- 

 cipal crops are cotton, corn, and wheat. It was apparent during the 

 survey that the agricultural possibilities of the two principal soil types 

 have never been realized. There is a wide opportunity for the intro- 

 duction of improved methods and of new crops and agricultural inter- 

 ests, and the North Carolina department of agriculture has announced 

 that these possibilities will be fully investigated. 



Results in Virginia. — The Remands for the soil work in Virginia 

 were so great and from such a number of widely different localities in 

 the State that it was difficult to determine where the survey should be 

 started. It was finally decided to take up an area in Bedford County, 

 including a portion of Piedmont Virginia and of the Blue Ridge 

 Mountains, and then to enter Prince Edward County, which is typic- 

 ally a dark-tobacco district. About 600 square miles will be surveyed 

 in Bedford County. On the Piedmont portion of the area the soils 

 are derived from disintegration of crystalline rocks, and the prevail- 

 ing types are well adapted to grass and corn particularly. Consider- 

 able attention is alread} 7 paid to the raising of cattle, and the heavy 

 shipping and manufacturing tobaccos are produced to some extent. 

 The most important results of the survey, however, are looked for in 

 the classification of the mountain lands in the development of the 

 apple industry. This section is already recognized as a prominent 

 apple-growing district, but there is room for the extension of both 

 the apple and peach industries. Soil types are being recognized and 

 mapped which are adapted to these fruits and to their different 



