14 BULLETIN 677, V. S. DEPAETMEXT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



This large area of hear}' loam soil is sharph' contrasted with areas 

 of more sandj^ land to the north and east, on which the type of agri- 

 culture adopted is in no less marked contrast. Upon the sanclj' soils 

 early market tomatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, corn, and clover 

 predominate. Upon the heavy loam corn, wheat, mixed grasses, and 

 Irish potatoes occupy nearly all of the acreage. Yet the climatic 

 surroundings are essentially the same, and so also is the accessibility 

 to market of different portions of the two areas. 



Thus, even among the most desirable soils of southern New Jersey, 

 experience has proved that careful attention must be paid to the in- 

 herent properties of the soils of any locality in order that the most 

 profitable kind of cropping and the best adjusted system of agricul- 

 ture may survive upon them. 



These observations markedl}^ illustrate the fact that the character 

 of the soil, other things being equal, determines not only the character 

 of the crops which may be grown successfully and the class of farm- 

 ing which will result but also the fact that extreme differences in 

 soil condition will determine the major fact as to whether soils may 

 be occupied for agriculture at all.^ 



DETAILED SOIL AND CROP MAPS. 



In order that an exact estimation might be made of the actual 

 uses to which soils are put in southern New Jersey, several very de- 

 tailed soil and crop surveys were made of selected areas within the 

 territory. 



One survey was made immediately south of Freehold, in a highly 

 specialized potato-growing section. Another was made in the vicinity 

 of Hartford, another around Thorofare, and a fourth immediately 

 to the north of Swedesboro. All of these areas are located within 

 an intensively farmed belt, and the four areas include within their 

 limits some portions of all of the more important agricultural soils 

 of the section. They are all well supplied with transportation 

 facilities and all are readilj- accessible to markets capable of absorb- 

 ing considerable quantities of all the products which may be grown 

 under the existing climatic conditions. 



It is safe to say, therefore, that existing differences in cropping are 

 measurably capable of correlation with the differences in soil charac- 

 teristics which are found to exist. 



1 More detailed statements with respect to these ma.i'or matters of the distinctive uses of 

 soils for the growing of particular crops may be found in the various reports upon the 

 areas of which soil surveys have already been made in southern New Jersey, a list of 

 which is given in a footnote on page 5. A similar correlation of soil and crop facts has 

 been made and published for a portion of the territory under discussion in Farmers' 

 Bulletin 472, of the United States Department of Agriculture, " Systems of Farming in 

 Central New Jersey," by Geo. A. Billings and J. C. Beavers. 



