SOILS OF SOUTHERN ISTEW JERSEY AND THEIR USES. 77 



(5) There are within the region no differences in elevation which 

 seriously disturb the climatic conditions imposed by latitude. The 

 presence of large bodies of water exerts an equalizing influence upon 

 temperatures which is sensibly evident to a distance of 10 or 15 

 miles from the Atlantic coast and to a distance of 5 to 10 miles from 

 Delaware Kiver and Bay. (See fig, 3, p. 6.) 



(6) The more than two centuries of agricultural development 

 in the region have brought about a thorough comprehension of the 

 fact that crops do not all thrive equally well upon all soils. There 

 has been a constant tendency to adapt the cropping and the agricul- 

 tural systems of the regions to local soil conditions in such a way 

 that the most paying crops may be grown upon each soil of marked 

 characteristics. (See pi. A, p. 16, and pi. 13, p. 64.) 



(7) This selective cropping has resulted in: 



(a) The avoidance of excessively drained soils, like those of the 

 Lakewood series, for any agricultural use. 



(b) A failure to utilize wet soils for any but the most extensive 

 systems of cropping, such as the growing of grass for pasture and 

 hay upon the Tidal marsh areas. 



(c) The utilization of the more sandy soils, irrespective of their 

 relative distance from market, for the growing of the early vege- 

 tables, commonly called truck crops. 



(d) The use of intermediate types of soils, such as the sandy 

 loams, for the growing of a wide variety of truck crops, general farm 

 crops and, where altitude favors, of commercial orchard crops. 



(e) A decided specialization toward the grain and grass crops 

 upon the fine sandy loam and loam soils, with the more recent use 

 of the loam soils for the growing of Irish potatoes and of tomatoes 

 for canning purposes. 



(/) The utilization of every reasonably level acre of good upland 

 soil for crop production of some kind. (See detailed soil and crop 

 maps.) 



(g) The utilization of small areas of overflow or of undrained 

 land for grazing purposes in connection with the special tillage of 

 all upland areas. 



(9) Other things being reasonably equal, the farmers of southern 

 New Jersey have a very decided and well founded preference for 

 the utilization of each specific soil type for the growing of the special 

 crop or group of crops which is best suited to that soil. (See Table 

 XIII, p. 66, and detailed soil and crop maps.) 



(10). These crop uses are given in some detail for the most im- 

 portant soil types and soil classes which have been encountered in 

 four detailed surveys made in southern New Jersey. The uses of 



