32 BULLETIN 677, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGEICULTUEE. 



but usually gives a larger yield upon the Sassafras loam. In conse- 

 quence of the higher prices at the earlier dates the cash return per 

 acre is about equal for the two types. Both are more highly es- 

 teemed for potato growing than any other soils included in this 

 survey. (Figs. 13 and 14.) 



The Sassafras loam is the standard type for corn growing, carry- 

 ing exactly the same relative percentage as that found for all types. 

 Corn is the leading crop in acreage on the Sassafras sandy loam 

 and the Portsmouth sandy loam and of equal importance with hay 

 on the Collington fine sandy loam. 



Orchard and fruit crops are decidedly concentrated on the Col- 

 lington sandy loam and on the deep phase of that type, while the 

 Sassafras sandy loam is also an important type for fruit culture. 



Tomatoes are somewhat concentrated on the Sassafras sandy loam, 

 where they occupy 10.4 per cent of the area of the type; and on the 

 Sassafras loam, where they cover 6.4 per cent. Tomatoes are grown 

 for direct marketing as a truck crop in this section, onlj?^ the last 

 of the crop usually finding its way to the canning or preserving 

 factories. 



The figures of crop usage for these different soils emphasize the 

 fact that the heavier, loamy types are most esteemed for the produc- 

 tion of such crops as hay, corn, potatoes, and cabbage (fig. 15) ; 

 that the sandy loam soils are suited to a wide diversity of crops, 

 being adapted to the general farm crops and to a considerable range 

 of special crops, including fruit, and that the more sandy soils are 

 best devoted to special crop production, notably to the growing of 

 the early truck crops. It is also apparent that the more sandy soils 

 are liable to be too droughty even for such uses. 



The soils mapped in the Hartford area may evidently be grouped 

 with respect to their crop utilization as follows : 



General- farTning soils — Sassafras loam, Elkton loam, and Ports- 

 mouth sandy loam. Truck soils — Collington fine sandy loam and 

 Collington sandy loam, deep phase. Fruit soils — Collington sandy 

 loam. Mixed-purpose soils — Sassafras sandy loam. 



The Hartford area is thus seen to represent a somewhat varied 

 assortment of agricultural conditions and cropping practices which 

 are demonstrably capable of correlation with the soil types which 

 occupy the area. 



Prevalence of general farm crops is due largely to the existence 

 in dominant area of the Sassafras loam, a well-drained but retentive, 

 fertile soil. Specialization toward the production of potatoes and 

 tomatoes as the important cash crops is rendered possible by the 

 dominance of the Sassafras loam and sandy loam. Ext.ensive de- 

 velopment of orcharding and fruit growing is favored by the pres- 

 ence of the areas of the Collington sandy loam, deep phase, and the 

 Sassafras sandy loam. Lack of agricultural use of a considerable 



