SOILS 55 
This is probably the best tomato soil in Chester county, 
but because of its Jocation and other general reasons it is 
not used so extensively as the Chester loam in forcing 
either tomatoes or carnations. The following table shows 
a mechanical analysis of the Chester loam: 
Pane: gravel 22222 c.secsccco Sono leet Sau G Seek, 3.3 
Coarse sand Bree SES ie SS 75 
Medium sand! 223222252223. 55c 2p nesce 3.3 
Bane sandt 22 cite sett ele ork ees tess 8.9 
Very fine Said 22.2220. ose seeds 9.3 
Sila Se eae et oe lee 48.2 
Clay -----.------ 19.8 
This soil contains enough sand to make it fairly satis- 
factory for tomatoes and cucumbers. It is regarded as a 
good soil for general farm crops rather than for spccial 
crops, though it produces probably half of the greenhouse 
tomatoes sold in Philadelphia. 
Ashtabula soils.—The soils of the Ashtabula forcing 
district belong to the Glacial Lake and River Terrace 
group, and to the Dunkirk series, the Dunkirk sandy loam 
being the best of the series for vegetable forcing. This 
soil is from 6 to 10 inches deep, with a subsoil of medium 
or fine sand. Both the soil and subsoil contain scattered 
pebbles, which are not objectionable in the forcing of 
vegetables. The following is a mechanical analysis of a 
sample of Dunkirk sandy loam: 
Organic matter ooo. 22s asenseeeeesesocee 2.23 
Gravel c-sccccceo Cee Se oe eases: 0.80 
Goarsé Sand: 222-2002. -scasscscasscccacas 3.44 
Medium: sand 2i-s:22..522 sles eccssaiak 3.90 
PHAAe® SAIN cake oO tees on 42.70 
Very fine sand!-<- occ. beet eee 26.14 
Siltest5o.c-cteute ed asec ae ee ee 13.02 
Clay i Bae cietecen cepa t tare 9.80 
It should be noted that the sample was selected out of 
doors and not in the greenhouse, and this accounts for 
