SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 53 



The Portsmouth sandy loam occurs only along stream beds in the 

 Onley area. It is either overflowed at times of heavy rain or is 

 saturated with seepage water. It is not capable of drainage over the 

 greater part of its extent, except by deepening and straightening of 

 stream channels. It is of small extent and, at present, of little 

 agricultural importance, being chiefly forested. 



The important agricultural soils of the area are the Sassafras 

 sandy loam, Keyport sandy loam, and Elkton sandy loam. Some 

 small areas of Elkton loam attain to a most unusual agricultural use 

 from their close association with these types. 



It is because these types are characteristically found in the vicinity 

 of Onley that the area was selected for detailed study. It is con- 

 sidered certain that the conditions found on the three main types 

 within this area are rather closely representative of the general con- 

 ditions under which they occur and are farmed throughout Accomac 

 and Northampton Counties. This is evident from a comparison of 

 the section with the detailed soil survey of the two counties. 3 



USES OF SOILS. 



A detailed soil map and two crop maps were made of the Onley 

 area to show the boundaries and extent of each distinct type of soil 

 and to make possible the measurement of the areas of each different 

 crop or form of occupation for each soil type. One crop map shows 

 the normal crop distribution in July, when the maximum acreage 

 of distinctly truck crops is to be encountered in this region. The 

 other crop map shows the crop areas in September, after the main 

 Irish potato crop has been harvested and typical fall conditions exist. 

 If a third map showing conditions in the spring had been made it 

 would probably show somewhat larger areas of such crops as cabbage, 

 onions, and, possibly, strawberries, but the two maps presented 

 give an idea of the more common uses of the different soils for crop- 

 ping and of the relative importance of the different principal crops. 

 They also indicate in a pronounced way some of the characteristics 

 of crop rotation and double cropping which are common in the region. 



Tables XI and XII show the absolute and relative importance of 

 the different soil types and their uses for crop production. 



' Soil Survey of Accomac and Northampton Counties, Virginia, E. II. Stevens, Field Operations, Bureau 

 of Soils, 1917. 



