SOILS OP THE SASSAFRAS SERIES. 47 



facilities. Considerable areas of all of these soils are found along 

 the low forelands adjacent to the Delaware River and Bay within 

 easy hauling distance of the Camden and Philadelphia markets, or 

 else in such positions "that rail transportation is available. Other 

 large areas of these types lie along the main lines of rail communi- 

 cation between Philadelphia and New York, and are extensively 

 utilized for special crop growing. Early Irish potatoes occupy the 

 largest acreage given to any one crop. Those grown upon the Sassa- 

 fras sandy loam, fine sand, and sand give fair yields of potatoes of 

 good quality at a period when the southern New Jersey region can 

 occupy the city markets between the shipments from points farther 

 south and those from Long Island. The crop is planted early, early 

 varieties are chosen, and the first shipments to market are frequently 

 made by the middle of July. The movement of the crop from the 

 more sandy soils continues until about the 1st of August. It is 

 usually succeeded by shipment from the heavier soil types, especially 

 from the Sassafras silt loam. This later crop is marketed from 

 about the first to the middle of August. The dates of marketing 

 vary with seasonal differences. 



The production of sweet potatoes is decidedly localized And ap- 

 proximately one-half of the entire acreage grown in New Jersey is 

 produced in Gloucester and Salem Counties, chiefly upon the Sassa- 

 fras sand and fine sand. The special value of these types for sweet- 

 potato production is well understood. They constitute warm, well- 

 drained soils upon which good average yields are secured, and the 

 potatoes are of excellent quality. 



The miscellaneous vegetables occupy a considerable acreage upon 

 all the soils of the Sassafras series in this region. They are most 

 extensively grown upon the Sassafras sand, fine sand, and sandy 

 loam where these occur within short distances of transportation 

 facilities especially along the Delaware River south of Trenton. 

 Tomatoes for market shipment are most extensively grown. The 

 sandy soils produce moderate yields of early tomatoes while the 

 Sassafras silt loam gives a somewhat larger yield but a later crop. 

 Watermelons, cantaloupes, sweet corn, early peas, and beans, egg 

 plant and asparagus constitute the other crops chiefly grown upon 

 the more sandy soils of the Sassafras series in this region. Straw- 

 berries and other small fruits are also grown. 



The greater part of the special crop production is carried on upon 

 small farms which are intensively tilled to these crops. The fer- 

 tility of these sandy soils is maintained by the use of large amounts 

 of stable manure shipped into the district from the cities and sup- 

 plemented by heavy applications of special commercial fertilizers. 

 This is shown in Plate IX. A succession of market garden and 

 truck crops is practiced rather than a crop rotation. Usually cover 



