28 THE FIRST BOOK OF FARMING 



Norfolk Sand. This is a coarse to medium, yellow 

 or brown sand averaging about five-sixths sand and 

 one-sixth silt and clay and is a typical early truck 

 soil found all along the eastern coast of the United 

 States. 



" It is a mealy, porous, warm sand, well drained 

 and easily cultivated. In regions where trucking 

 forms an important part of agriculture, this soil is 

 sought out as best adapted to the production of 

 watermelons, canteloupes, sweet potatoes, early Irish 

 potatoes, strawberries, early tomatoes, early peas, 

 peppers, egg plant, rhubarb and even cabbage and 

 cauliflower, though the latter crops produce better 

 yields on a heavier soil." 



A very similar sand in the central part of the 

 country is called Miami Sand and, on the Pacific 

 Coast, Fresno Sand. These names are given to 

 these type soils by the Bureau of Soils of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture. 



Loams or Loamy Soils, consist of mixtures of 

 the sands, silt and clay with some organic matter. 

 The term loam is applied to a soil which, from its 

 appearance in the field and the feeling when handled, 

 appears to be about one-half sand and the other 

 half silt and clay with more or less organic matter. 

 These are naturally fine in texture and quite sticky 

 when wet. They would be called clay by many on 

 account of their stickiness. They are good soils 

 for general farming and produce good grain, grass, 

 corn, potatoes, cotton, vegetables, etc. 



Sandy Loams, averaging about three-fifths sand 



