



SOILS OF SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND THEIR USES. 67 
There are only a few unimportant areas of true clay soils in south- 
ern New Jersey. The Sassafras loam is the only soil of any great 
extent within the region which is even popularly known as a clay. 
This type contrasts rather strongly with the associated sandy soils 
and has come to be known as a “clay loam” or “clay” in some 
localities. | 
It is probable, Herefore, that all of the answers designating a 
preference for a “clay” Foil should be added to the loam column to 
secure exact accuracy. 
There is also a local tendency to consider any sandy soil which 
is not absolutely incoherent as a sandy loam. This is true of many 
localities where sandy soils prevail. In general, the popular classi- 
fication of soil textures in this region corresponds fairly well with the 
more detailed classes used by the soil survey and based upon the 
physical analyses of the soils. 
SOIL PREFERENCES FOR TRUCK CROPS. 
The tabulated summary of expressed preferences for the different 
classes of soil for the growing of truck crops shows that the 14 crops 
enumerated fall into four rather distinct groups. In making the 
arrangement, a percentage basis was used in order that the widely 
differing numbers of answers for the different crops might be equal- 
ized. Thus, the percentage of answers expressing a preference for 
sandy soils for the growing of watermelons is comparable with the 
percentage of expressed preferences for sandy soil for sweet potato 
production, although 151 answers were tabulated in the first case and 
245 in the latter. 
Also, in the first two groups the ranking within the groups is 
made with respect to the sums of the percentages preferring sand and 
sandy loam soils, while in the other two groups the ranking is with 
reference to the sums of the percentages preferring loam or “ clay ” 
soils. In both the absolute preferences among the four classes of 
soils are displayed in detail. 
It -is evident from this table that the great preponderance of 
opinion favors the growing of sweet potatoes and watermelons on 
soils which are distinctly sandy. In the case of sweet potatoes there 
was no dissent from the preference for soil of these two classes, 
while the preference for straight-out sand is marked. For water- 
melons a majority prefer sand. 
The second group, including crops for which sandy loam soils are — 
preferred, includes 8 out of the 14 crops for which answers were 
received. In all cases within this group the sandy loam soils are 
preferred to any other class, and in three instances—asparagus, can- 
taloupes, and eggplant—the sandy soil is second to sandy loam in 
preference. In the other cases, while a sandy loam soil is preferred, 
