SOILS OF EASTERN VIRGINIA. 15 
The percentages established by this table for ''All soils" con- 
stitute a standard of comparison for the individual soils. The 
Sassafras fine sandy loam carries no general farm crops, and is more 
extensively occupied for home grounds than any other of the types. 
This arises from its well drained and accessible position near the 
water fronts and decreases to some extent its showing as a highly 
prized truck soil. 
The Norfolk fine sandy loam carries the only appreciable area of 
general farm crops, amounting only to 9.2 a;Cres, or less than 2.0 
per cent of the total area of the type. It is occupied by 438.3 acres 
of truck crops, or 89.8 per cent of its area, and has only a small area 
not occupied by annual crops. 
The Key port fine sandy loam is chiefly occupied by truck crops 
and is avoided for gardens and grounds. It includes a small but 
appreciable area of forested land. 
The Suffolk fine sandy loam is marked by a high percentage of 
forested land. The greater part of the forest remaining in the 
locality is on this type, amounting to 34.4 acres, or 23.6 per cent of 
its entire area. (See PL IV, figs. 1 and 2.) The remainder is used 
chiefly for truck crop production. 
The soils of smaller extent within the area do not show any par- 
ticularly significant forms of occupation and their area is too small 
to justify any definite conclusions concerning their specific uses. 
It should be emphasized that both the Keyport and the Suffolk 
fine sand}^ loam are utilized to a totally disproportionate extent in 
the Churchland area, because of the fact that the underdrainage of 
these soils has been decidedly improved by the installation of tile 
drains, rendering them capable of truck crop production. In the 
general region they are more commonly used for the growing of 
forage crops or in the more remote locations have been left in forest. 
Of the spring truck crops Irish potatoes occupy the largest area. 
The Irish Cobbler is grown for the early market and the total acreage 
amounts to 614.5 acres, or 56.8 per cent of the total upland area. 
(See PL V, figs. 1 and 2.) They constitute over 65 per cent of the 
total acreage devoted to spring truck crops. 
Cabbage constitutes the crop next in rank with regard to acreage. 
A total of 142.7 acres, or 13.3 per cent of the total area, is given to 
this crop. The cabbage crop is set during the winter and very 
early spring and harvested as an early spring crop. (See PL V'l, 
fig. 1.) 
Beans, either grown alone or interplanted with strawberries, and 
cucumbers and strawberries are grown to almost an equal extent in 
this -section. The other truck crops are of minor importance. 
The distribution of the various spring truck crops on the different 
soil types shows a slight excess of Irish potatoes on the Norfolk fine 
