SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 17 
Norfolk fine sandy loams are the chosen soils for this crop, although 
the Keyport fine sandy loam is likewise important in its production. 
Spinach is second in acreage to kale, covering 70.8 acres, or 6.5 
per cent of the total upland area. Its production is decidedly 
localized upon the Sassafras fine sandy loam, the best drained soil 
in the area. Only the Norfolk fine sandy loam bears any large addi- 
tional acreage. 
The fall crop of Irish potatoes, the ''Peachblow" variety, occu- 
pies 60.3 acres, or 5.6 per ceiit of the area. This fall crop is chiefly 
upon the Norfolk and Keyport fine sandy loams. 
The acreage in strawberries is slightly less than in June because of 
the plowing out of old beds. The fall acreage is found chiefly upon 
the Norfolk and Keyport fine sandy loams. 
Only a small extent of other fall crops is shown in this map. 
One of the characteristics of the cropping system of the district 
is brought out clearly in the tabulation of the general farm crops for 
August. The area in hay amounts to 312.4 acres, or 28.9 per cent 
of the entire area. Corn, either planted alone or interplanted with 
cowpeas and soy beans, occupies 265 acres, or 24.4 per cent of the 
total. Cowpeas and millet comprise the other crops of this class. 
It is the common practice in this intensively farmed region to 
plant as large an area as possible to the spring and early summer 
truck crops. As fast as these crops are harvested and the ground 
can be prepared, it is planted to a summer forage crop, usually corn. 
In order that some leguminous crop may be grown at some perod in 
the rotation, it is coming to be the practice to interplant either cow- 
peas or soy beans in the corn, or to drill or sow cowpeas broadcast 
upon the land. (See PI. VI, fig. 2.) By this method a supply of 
forage for the work stock is produced at a period in the year when 
the land would not be occupied by cash crops, and many of the 
truckers utilize this time to grow a legume crop either for green 
manure or forage. 
The large area in hay arises from the fact that it is almost entirely 
volunteer grasses, chiefly crab grass (PL VII, fig. 1), which spring 
up spontaneously upon the areas from which the spring truck crops 
have been harvested. This grass is allowed to come to maturity 
and a considerable acreage is cut for hay annually. 
After these different forage crops have been harvested the land 
is ready for late fall or winter plowing and is used either for a winter 
cabbage crop or for the potato area of the next spring. This system 
permits the production of some forage, the growing of a green manur- 
ing crop, when desired, and the utilization of the residual effects of 
manures and fertilizers which have been applied to the preceding 
spring truck crop. 
61681°— 22— Bull. 1005 2 
