SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 
69 
These changes in total crop acreage for the different crops reflect 
the common cropping practices of the region. The early Irish 
potato crop is interplanted with corn, and the fields, just before 
digging the potatoes, constitute the '' potato-corn" characteristic of 
Eastern Shore of Virginia potato growing. (See. PI. XVI, fig. 1.) 
After the potato crop is harvested, the corn occupies the land, and 
some growers also sow cowpeas or crimson clover between the rows 
of corn. (See PL XVI, fig. 2.) Other forage crops are grown to 
a small extent, as upon fields where onions or cabbage have been 
harvested. Some of the potato or onion land is set to new fields of 
strawberries and the berry fields which have reached the limit of 
profitable production are plowed out and either a forage crop is 
grown or the land is reset to berries. 
These changes in crop occupation are very evenly distributed over 
the different soil types so that no special feature in fall cropping 
appears as distinct from the spring and summer conditions. The 
regularity of cropping systems and practices is strongly indicated by 
this fact. 
SOIL PREFERENCES EXPRESSED BY FARMERS. 
A series of circular letters was sent out to ascertain the preferences 
of farmers in different parts of the two counties for different classes 
of soils used in the growing of the important truck crops. From 
the replies received the more important facts concerning the different 
crops were tabulated. 
It is evident that the reports from these representative growers, 
the evidence obtained by Stevens for his report on the Soils of 
Accomac and Northampton Counties, and the data obtained by 
means of the detailed soil and crop map of the Onley area, Virginia, 
are well in accord. 
The salient points of soil preference, as given by the growers, are 
shown in Table XIII. 
Table XIII.— C 
of soils preferred by growers for various crops. 
Crop. 
Sandy loam. 
Loam. 
Heavier. 
Number. 
Per cent. 
Number. 
Percent. 
Number. 
Per cent. 
Sweet potatoes 
51 
10 
41 
6 
86.5 
66.7 
58.6 
30.0 
5 
5 
28 
14 
8.5 
33.3 
40.0 
70.0 
3 
5.0 
ORions 
Potatoes 
1 
, 1.4 
Cabbage 
As in the case of the Norfolk district, the Eastern Shore growers 
show a progressive choice in soil textures for these crops. In both 
cases the more sandy soils, sandy loams, are preferred for sweet 
potatoes; both sandy loam and loam soils are desired for Irish 
