38 



BULLETIN 1005, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



harvest begins in December and cutting is continued through the 

 winter. 



Stable manure is used for the crop of kale to such an extent as 

 it can be obtained. Commercial fertilizer is applied to an aggregate 

 amount of 1,000 to 2,000 pounds per acre. About 500 pounds is 

 applied at the time of planting and additional top dressings are made 

 during the winter months. The first application is frequently of 

 the common formula for potatoes, 7-6-5, while the winter mixture 

 consists of the more soluble goods, also used for cabbage and spinach. 



The preferences expressed by growers for certain classes of land 

 for growing the particular truck crops are summarized in Table VIII. 



Table VIII. — Soil preferences expressed by farmers. 





Num- 

 ber of 

 replies. 



Sand. 



Sandy loam. 



Loam. 



Clay. 



Crop. 



Num- 

 ber. 



Per 

 cent. 



Num- 

 ber. 



Per 

 cent. 



Num- 

 ber. 



Per 

 cent. 



Num- 

 ber. 



Per 

 cent. 







 15 

 16 

 11 

 32 

 17 

 17 

 20 

 19 

 15 



5 

 1 

 3 

 3 

 2 



100.0 

 17.0 

 20.0 

 20.0 

 18.0 

















5 

 10 

 10 

 6 

 25 

 10 

 7 

 7 

 5 

 3 



83.0 

 67.0 

 60.0 

 55.0 

 78.0 

 55.0 

 41.0 

 35.0 

 26.0 

 20.0 













2 

 3 

 3 

 7 

 3 

 6 

 7 

 12 

 11 



13.0 

 20.0 

 27.0 

 22.0 

 17.0 

 35.0 

 35.0 

 63.0 

 73.0 



























4 



22.0 



1 

 4 

 6 

 2 

 1 



6.0 





24.0 









30.0 









10.0 









7.0 











Although the number of replies received was too small to give a 

 decisive answer to the question of local soil preferences for the 

 different truck crops, yet the grouping of the preferences is rather 

 significant. 



GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 



The study of the Norfolk trucking district indicates very clearly 

 that the different classes of farming and the production of the different 

 crops are closely related to the differences in drainage conditions 

 which exist within the district. 



These drainage conditions are controlled by (a) location with re- 

 spect to the natural outlets, (b) the altitude and slope of the land 

 surface, and (c) the texture or relative porosity of the soil and sub- 

 soil. The classification of the soils of the district is closely related 

 to these features. 



The soils of the Sassafras and Norfolk series are relatively well 

 drained. They lie chiefly in positions near the natural drainage 

 outlets, along the shore line and the larger tidewater embayments, 

 They occupy positions of some elevation above water level. They 

 vary in texture to a considerable extent, and this variation, which 

 establishes the individual soil type, exerts a considerable influence 



