SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 15 



The percentages established by this table for " All soils" con- 

 stitute a standard of comparison for the individual soils. The 

 Sassafras fine sandy loam carries no general farm crops, and is more 

 extensively occupied for home grounds than any other of the types. 

 This arises from its well drained and accessible position near the 

 water fronts and decreases to some extent its showing as a highly 

 prized truck soil. 



The Norfolk fine sandy loam carries the only appreciable area of 

 general farm crops, amounting only to 9.2 acres, or less than 2.0 

 per cent of the total area of the type. It is occupied by 438.3 acres 

 of truck crops, or 89.8 per cent of its area, and has only a small area 

 not occupied by annual crops. 



The Keyport fine sandy loam is chiefly occupied by truck crops 

 and is avoided for gardens and grounds. It includes a small but 

 appreciable area of forested land. 



The Suffolk fine sandy loam is marked by a high percentage of 

 forested land. The greater part of the forest remaining in the 

 locality is on this type, amounting to 34.4 acres, or 23.6 per cent of 

 its entire area. (See PI. IV, figs. 1 and 2.) The remainder is used 

 chiefly for truck crop production. 



The soils of smaller extent within the area do not show any par- 

 ticularly significant forms of occupation and their area is too small 

 to justify any definite conclusions concerning their specific uses. 



It should be emphasized that both the Keyport and the Suffolk 

 fine sandy loam are utilized to a totally disproportionate extent in 

 the Churchland area, because of the fact that the underdrainage of 

 these soils has been decidedly improved by the installation of tile 

 drains, rendering them capable of truck crop production. In the 

 general region they are more commonly used for the growing of 

 forage crops or in the more remote locations have been left in forest. 



Of the spring truck crops Irish potatoes occupy the largest area. 

 The Irish Cobbler is grown for the early market and the total acreage 

 amounts to 614.5 acres, or 56.8 per cent of the total upland area. 

 (See PL V, figs. 1 and 2.) They constitute over 65 per cent of the 

 total acreage devoted to spring truck crops. 



Cabbage constitutes the crop next in rank with regard to acreage. 

 A total of 142.7 acres, or 13.3 per cent of the total area, is given to 

 this crop. The cabbage crop is set during the winter and very 

 early spring and harvested as an early spring crop. (See PI. VI, 

 fig. 1.) 



Beans, either grown alone or interplanted with strawberries, and 

 cucumbers and strawberries are grown to almost an equal extent in 

 this section. The other truck crops are of minor importance. 



The distribution of the various spring truck crops on the different 

 soil types shows a slight excess of Irish potatoes on the Norfolk fine 



