44 BULLETIN 159, 17. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



It will be seen from the foregoing discussion of the crop adapta- 

 tions of this soil that it constitutes one of the best general farming 

 types in the Atlantic Coastal Plain. In fact it is generally preferred 

 above all others in the Xorth Atlantic district for the production of 

 the crops enumerated. It is a strong, fertile, well-drained, level- 

 surfaced soil, and every acre of it has usually been cleared and 

 placed under cultivation. In the hands of skillful farmers its crop- 

 producing power has been increased from year to year until yields 

 higher than the average for other soils in its localities are habitually 

 produced. It is practically the only soil in the Atlantic Coastal 

 Plain that compares favorably with the soils of the Limestone 

 Valleys for the production of corn, wheat, and grass. It is one of 

 the best soils in the Coastal Plain for the production of apples, 

 pears, and peaches. It is well suited to the production of Irish 

 potatoes, and of tomatoes and sweet corn for canning purposes. 

 Its improvement may easily be accomplished through the restora- 

 tion of organic material to the surface soil, aided by the application 

 of lime. 



As a natural consequence of the suitability of the Sassafras silt 

 loam to the production of corn, oats, the grasses, and the leguminous 

 forage crops, the type is one of the best soils in the Xorth Atlantic 

 Coastal Plain to serve as a basis for the establishment of the. dairy 

 industry. An excellent dairy herd on the Sassafras silt loam is 

 shown in Plate VIII, figure 2. "Where the price of land is high, 

 ranging from $65 to $100 or more an acre, the business should be 

 run upon a decidedly intensive basis. Pasturage should only con- 

 stitute part of the regular rotation, and no land of this type should 

 be set aside as permanent pasture. It is possible so to arrange the 

 crop production of a farm upon the Sassafras silt loam that the 

 corn silage and corn for the grain, peas, oats, and barley as soiling 

 crops, rye or winter wheat as an early soiling crop, and the mixed 

 grasses, cowpeas, crimson clover, crimson clover and rape, or even 

 alfalfa may all be produced for forage purposes. The capability 

 of producing these crops, taken together with good transportation 

 facilities and the abundance of fresh pure water throughout the 

 region, renders the soil ideal as a basis for dairying and stock raising. 



Wherever rough land or pasture land of lower value is included 

 in a farm made up principally of the Sassafras silt loam, sheep rais- 

 ing is also a profitable industry. The keeping of sheep in connection 

 with the dairy industry has proved profitable in several locations. 



CROP USES AND ADAPTATIONS. 



All of the soils of the Sassafras series occur within a region char- 

 acterized by a medium to long growing season, an abundant rain- 

 fall for the production of the majority of field crops, and generallj 



