12 BULLETIN" 1005, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



The gray or mottled coloration of the other types indicates that 

 natural drainage conditions have been more or less imperfect and this 

 has resulted in incomplete aeration and oxidation. 



In the Churchland area these variations in natural drainage 

 conditions have been modified in some degree by the installation of 

 tile drains, but the natural conditions of drainage have not become 

 completely changed. (See PI. Ill, figs. 1 and 2.) 



The distribution of the different soil types in the Churchland area 

 is also significant of the same facts with regard to drainage. The 

 Sassafras and Norfolk fine sandy loams occupy the marginal positions, 

 where drainage is effected directly by seepage to the steeper marginal 

 slopes and by run-off through the deeper streamways. The Keyport 

 and Suffolk fine sandy loams occupy interior positions, where the 

 drainage of water away from the subsoil is not so complete and where 

 the minor streams are not so deeply cut nor effective. The Ports- 

 mouth loam is found along streams or at stream heads. 



These major facts of drainage illustrate upon a small scale and 

 for limited areas the general conditions throughout the Norfolk dis- 

 trict. The best drained lands are generally found nearest the tide- 

 water channels and at the crests of the more elevated ridges. Posi- 

 tions remote from these channels and especially areas which lie on 

 the almost level uplands between the major streamways are less 

 well drained. 



USES OF SOILS. 



In order that the details of soil occupation might be determined, 

 the completed soil and crop maps of each detailed survey were meas- 

 ured and the acreage of each form of occupation was computed for 

 each soil type. 



Since the production of truck crops continues throughout the year 

 in both the Churchland and Diamond Springs areas and since sig- 

 nificant methods of cropping are different at different seasons in the 

 Onley area, Eastern Shore district, crop maps were made at two 

 seasons for each of the three Virginia areas. 



In the case of the Churchland area the figures shown for the June 

 crop map represent the cropping conditions when the marketing of 

 truck crops is at its height. Some areas of crops, marketed in the 

 early spring, are not shown. The figures given for the August map 

 represent the summer and early fall crop areas of the Churchland 

 area. 



Tables II and III show the proportion of total area and of the area 

 of each soil type occupied by the various crops and groups of crops 

 in June and in August, 1916. 



