68 



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



soils of the Portsmouth series somewhat to the south of the areas 

 where the surveys were made, and that the crop is well suited to pro- 

 duction on both the Portsmouth sandy loam and fine sandy loam, 

 where these have been properly drained. Soils of the Keyport and 

 Elkton series are also used for the production of the crop. 



In Table XVII the data for the three areas, relating to sweet 

 potatoes, are combined to show soil-type occupancy. 



Table XVII. — Acreage of svjeet potatoes, according to soil type, in the Chwchland, 

 Diamond Springs, and Onley areas, combined. 



Soil type. 



Area 

 planted. 



Propor- 

 tion of 

 type oc- 

 cupied. 



Propor- 

 tion of 



cropped 

 area of 



the type. 



Propor- 

 tion of 

 total 

 crop. 



Sassafras sandy loam 

 Keyport sandy loam 

 Elkton sandy loam. . 



Acres. 



■ 173.4 

 70.0 

 38.2 



Per cent. 

 22.4 

 14.7 

 8.2 



Per cent. 

 32.8 

 23.5 

 26.1 



Per cent. 

 54.9 

 22.1 

 12.7 



The Sassafras sandy loam is clearly the preferred sweet-potato soil 

 in this region. There is no doubt that the crop could also be grown 

 successfully upon the coarse sandy loams, and would be were it not 

 that these soils are desired for strawberry growing and the production 

 of the winter crop of cabbage. Either one of these crops interferes 

 with the growing of sweet potatoes and the truckers evidently prefer 

 them to the moderate profits which may be obtained from sweet 

 potato growing. 



Cabbage is grown rather indiscriminately upon the Norfolk coarse 

 sandy loam, Keyport fine sandy loam, and Norfolk fine sandy loam, 

 principally. The chief requirements seem to be a position sheltered 

 against winter winds, fairly good drainage, and rather strong forcing 

 by the use of fertilizers applied during the milder days of winter. 



The relationships of spinach and kale to the different soils have 

 been shown in the discussion of the Churchland and Diamond Springs 

 areas. No distinctively winter truck crops are grown within the 

 limits of the Onley survey. 



GENERAL SUMMARY. 



There are two important trucking districts in eastern Virginia, 

 the Norfolk and the Eastern Shore districts. 



The Norfolk district lies south of the James River and Chesapeake 

 Bay. In this district from 50,000 to 60,000 acres of truck crops 

 are grown annually. 



The Eastern Shore district comprises the greater part of Accomac 

 and Northampton Counties, and 85,000 to 95,000 acres of truck 

 crops are annually grown in it. 



