SOILS OF NEW YORK 113 



and a moderately productive quality. The central 

 portion of this area, which is a slightly sandy to 

 silty loam two to five feet deep over the gravel, is 

 one of the few examples of a native prairie area east 

 of the x\ppalachians. This is known as the Hemp- 

 stead plains. Its original vegetation was a rank 

 growth of sedge grass and was early used as the 

 common pasture. Many kinds of vegetable crops 

 groAV well on this soil. Potatoes give particularly 

 good yields. The transition to the adjacent poorer 

 sand plains is through a gravelly loam of lighter color 

 and lower crop value than the Hempstead loam. 

 The cause for the dark color and treeless condition 

 of the area has not been explained. 



On the eastern end of the island, the soil and con- 

 sequently the agricultural conditions are again much 

 better than in the middle of the island. The soil has 

 a finer texture and a better body. The sandy glacial 

 material that forms the core of these two eastern 

 prongs of the island is mixed with considerable 

 silt and clay and reworked into a fairly smooth sur- 

 face so that it makes good farm land. This soil 

 has proved suited to the production of early pota- 

 toes. Cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and Lima beans 

 are also prominent crops, their production centering 

 rouglily in Riverhead. Considerable corn is pro- 

 duced and on the southern prong of the island dairy- 

 ing is still practiced. 



Tlie island is dominated by its availability for 

 residence purposes and its value for home-making 

 has often misled individuals as to its agricultural pos- 



