DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE SOILS OF VIRGINIA. 5 



siderable part of the year. In some sections apples and pears, usually 

 in small orchards, are grown successfully. Bluegrass makes a last- 

 ing pasture and dairying is one of the features of agriculture on 

 this type. This soil is well adapted to canning crops, especially 

 tomatoes and sweet corn. 



The sandy loam occupies a comparatively small area. It is best 

 adapted to corn, vegetables, and small fruits. Good yields of corn 

 are secured, and occasionally wheat gives good returns, especially on 

 the heavier phase of the type. Grass and clover do fairly well. 



Iredell series. — The soils of the Iredell series vary from light- 

 brown to almost black in color and frequently carry small iron con- 

 cretions. The subsoils consist of extremely plastic, sticky, or waxy 

 clay of a yellowish-brown to greenish-yellow color. Disintegrated 

 rock is very often encountered within the 3- foot section. The topog- 

 raphy varies from nearly flat to gently rolling. The parent rock 

 consists mainly of diorite, hornblende schist or hornblende gneiss, 

 and chloritic rocks. The intractable subsoil in places lies near the 

 surface, making cultivation difficult, but over the deeper areas hav- 

 ing a soil lighter than a clay a very fair seed bed can be maintained. 

 The soils of this series are best suited to small grains and grass. 

 Under certain conditions corn does fairly well. 



The clay loam, owing to the impervious character and close texture 

 of its subsoil, is restricted as to its crop adaptation. However, corn 

 wheat, and grasses are grown with a fair degree of success. A con- 

 siderable part of the type is used for hay and pasturage. The fine 

 sandy loam is of very limited extent. It is used principally for 

 corn, oats, wheat, and grasses, while the lighter and deeper areas 

 are used to some extent for the production of tobacco. The sandy 

 loam, the only type so far mapped in the State, is one of the im- 

 portant soils of the Piedmont Plateau. It is admirably adapted 

 tc the production of bright tobacco, but is usually too light for the 

 pjc 'table growing of grasses and small grains. It is used advanta- 

 geously for the production of corn, sweet potatoes, melons, garden 

 vegetables, and fruits. 



Penn series. — The Penn series includes Indian-red soils derived 

 from red sandstone and shales of Triassic age. Detached areas of 

 these rocks occur in shallow basins in the Piedmont Plateau from 

 the vicinity of New York City to South Carolina. In productive- 

 ness and crop adaptation the Penn series may be considered as 

 intermediate between the Hagerstown and Cecil soils. Corn, wheat, 

 oats, potatoes, grass, apples, and peaches are produced on different 

 types of the series in Virginia and the more northern States and 

 tobacco in Virginia. 



The clay, although occupying small areas, is an important soil in 

 restricted sections of the State. It is well suited to the production 



